


A Dreamer's Knight III - Flights of Fancy

by AlanTryth



Series: A Dreamer's Knight [3]
Category: The Elsewhere Universe
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Light-Hearted, Multi, Novel, Shenanigans, Story, The Elsewhere Incorporate, The Elsewhere Universe - Freeform, comic mischief, dream realm, dreamer - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-06-04 16:55:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 76,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6666688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlanTryth/pseuds/AlanTryth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What is a Dreamer without his or her powers?  This is a question One must ask himself as he continues his efforts to assist Mikaen as Earth's True Knight works to thwart the Revs' machinations on the world of Vinta.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue and Chapter 1: Adrift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcones voices his displeasure with Liegan. Meanwhile, Teria and Glen continue their efforts to repair the Simmersill.

Triumvate Darcones Fairchilde stared into the crackling fireplace of his study. The firelight sent shadows dancing across the room, made all the more poignant by the large unmoving shadow cast by his massive scaled wings.

Only a few feet behind the chair stood Liegan Hearcri, leader of the Restored Earth Alliance, or 'the Revs' as so many post-Devastation organizations labeled them. The man responsible for the deaths of thousands, if not millions, of magi and non-humans on Earth calmly polished his glasses with a white handkerchief as he waited patiently for the Triumvate to speak.

"So close." Darcones whispered, his fist clenching the chair's armrest. He stood, his wings pulling close to his back once clear of the chair.

"Any word on the Amplifier?" He asked, his tone making it abundantly clear that he was not happy with Liegan.

"Not yet. There was a massive cave-in, probably perpetrated by the True Knight and his friends. My engineers tell me that it'll be at least a month before we clear out all the crystallic."

"No way around?"

"No. We tried to find a bypass, but it'd take just as long to mine through the rock."

Silence descended between the two for a few moments.

Darcones let out a frustrated sigh. "What the hell happened?"

"Sir?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about."

"I warned you that the True Knight was-"

"I'm not talking about Mikaen!" Darcones said, "I'm talking about you and your men! I ordered you to not interfere with Mikaen's team, yet I've received reports of your soldiers openly attacking them!"

Liegan finished inspecting his glasses and slipped them over his eyes. "I figured that they might be trying to escape. Unfortunately, the True Knight was being assisted by a Dreamer."

"Yes, I've read the reports." Darcones said grimly. "It's bad enough that you've made an enemy out of the True Knight without you stirring up the Elsewhere Incorporate against us as well!"

"I doubt the Elsewhere Incorporate will be much of a hindrance to our plan."

Darcones spun to face Liegan, his eyes blood red as he slammed his hands down on the table hard enough to rattle an ornamental tea tray.

"The Kelshira District is in chaos! There are reports of an ancient sailing vessel flying around the skies, giant wolves running through the streets, hundreds of foreign skrievers roaming the biospheres, and complete anarchy at the Celestial Cathedral. The only thing that these events seem to have in common is the confirmed sighting of several members of the Elsewhere Incorporate that you seem to think aren't a problem!"

"The Kelshira District is an unfortunate victim of circumstance." Liegan said. "A target for bored Dreamers with different agendas. The Elsewhere is not a threat."

Darcones slammed his fist onto the table again, this time with enough force to make one of the legs collapse. Ignoring the sound of porcelain shattering against the floor, he snarled, "Of course the Elsewhere Incorporate is a threat! They are Dreamers! Their power goes beyond magic, beyond any kind of technological barrier we can produce! If they choose to stop us because of your actions-"

"They won't." Liegan said, his tone infuriatingly calm to the upset xemptarian. "The Elsewhere isn't as organized as you might think, and they certainly aren't as unified. Most members haven't left the safety of the Elsewhere Mansion for decades, including their self-styled leader, Teach. Believe me; One is the only Dreamer we're likely to come up against, and I believe he's been temporarily incapacitated."

This news seemed to mollify Darcones somewhat. "What of his partner, Narrator Number Two?"

Liegan let out a laugh as he smoothed the collar of his shirt. "The only reason Two would even leave the Elsewhere Mansion is to try and avoid exactly the sort of thing you're worried he might do. Trust me; One is the only Dreamer with whom we have to contend."

Darcones walked around his table and stopped at the leg he had smashed. With a wave of his hand, the leg repaired itself, as did the shattered tea set.

Leaning against the repaired table, he said, "You have a surprising insight into the workings of the Elsewhere Incorporate."

Liegan didn't reply. His eyes were unreadable behind his glasses.

Shaking his head, Darcones snapped his fingers. The holographic fire vanished instantly as the bright fluorescent lights illuminated the room.

"The other Triumvates are insisting I expel the intruders, though perhaps this is for the best; I believe the next piece of the Raenqal is located somewhere in Rimstak, which means we have a considerable amount of ground to cover. You will be accompanied by a large platoon of my best soldiers ... to help with the search, of course."

"Oh, of course."

"This is espionage, not an assault.' Darcones continued, ignoring the faint hint of sarcasm in Liegan's voice. "Try not to arouse suspicion, and avoid open conflicts; Guildmaster Mschens will not be as forgiving as Cygros Cressia if you pull another stunt like you did with the Breath of Fire. Locate the part of the Raenqal, secure it as quietly as possible, and report back to me. Be cautious; I fully expect Mikaen and his friends to show up."

"Really? And why is that?"

"Because that's what heroes do." Darcones said with a grim smile. "Let me be perfectly clear; neither you nor any of the men or women under your command are to interfere with Mikaen or his team in any way or form. Is that understood?"

"Does that include the Daughters Myssohn?" Liegan asked, raising an eyebrow at the Triumvate.

After a long moment of silence, Darcones said, "You have your orders."

Liegan bowed and turned to leave.

Just as he reached the door, Darcones called out, "Mister Hearcri?"

"Yes?"

"This incident is a strike against you. Don't disappoint me again, or you will regret it."

"Noted."

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Adrift**

* * *

 

 

Teria poked her head in Glen's room. The young man was still asleep, his weird gauntlets lying in an untidy pile beside his bed.

Grinning, she slowly opened the door just enough so she could slip inside the room and tiptoed over to him. Once she was beside the bed, she leaned forward until her mouth was only a few inches from his ear.

"Glen!"

"Gah!" Glen backpedaled while still half-asleep, unfortunately running out of bed in the process. He hit the floor with a loud thump.

Teria let herself fall down on the bed and watched with amusement as Glen untangled himself from the mess of sheets. By the time he freed himself, there was murder in his eyes.

"Can't you just knock like a normal person?" He demanded.

She gave a carefree shrug. "Nah, too boring. Besides, you should feel honored to be awoken by a beautiful lady like me."

"Beautiful brat, more like it." Glen muttered, tossing the balled-up bed sheets at her face.

She caught the sheets and managed to deftly flick them over Glen's head. Pulling him close, she said, "Oh, stop belly-aching. It's already noon. Besides, I've got you a present."

"What is it?" He asked cautiously. Teria wasn't surprised; she played quite a few tricks on him over the past few months.

After digging in her pockets for a few moments, she produced a silver necklace: a pendant of seven turtles clustered around a green crystal orb.

Glen raised an eyebrow at it. "A bit early for that, isn't it?"

"No, silly!" She said, giving him a playful shove. "It's not an engagement pendant! Just a present, that's all."

"Uh-huh."

Sighing, Teria let her smile falter. "Look," She said, doing her best to sound serious, "I know these past few months haven't always been fun, and I might have made things a bit difficult on occasion."

"On occasion?"

"Shut up!" She said, punching his shoulder. "I'm trying to be serious here."

Sighing, she continued, "I just wanted to thank you for hanging around, and to let you know I appreciate your friendship."

She held her breath until Glen let out a sigh of his own. Smiling, he said, "It has been fun, hasn't it?"

Beaming at him, she said, "Yeah! So, I saw this at a shop, and thought it'd make a nice memento."

Glen turned the pendant over in his fingers a few times, a small smile slowly spreading across his face. "Thank you, Teria. That's really nice of you."

"Well?" She asked, trying hard to mask her eagerness. "You gonna try it on or not?"

Still smiling, Glen slipped the pendant around his neck and fastened the clasp behind his neck.

"Thank you, Teria." He said, his cheeks slightly red.

"No problem." She said with a wide grin, "Now dance for me!"

Glen's smile froze as he said to seemingly his own surprise, "As you command." Moments later, his legs began to jerk in a somewhat rhythmic pattern.

"Teria?" He asked as his legs continued to 'dance', his arms following along moments later.

Teria clapped her hands together, laughing as Glen looked more and more panicked. After a few more moments, she said, "Stop!"

"As you command." Glen's arms and feet stopped moving. "Teria," He asked breathlessly, "What the hell did you-"

"I'm hungry." She announced, standing up. "Carry me down to the continental breakfast."

"As you command." Apparently against his will, Glen moved over to Teria and lifted her as a husband would lift his bride.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek as he carried her to the door. "I think I'm going to like this."

Glen hardly carried her a dozen feet when his visage suddenly appeared on the wall.

The Glen on the wall looked older, and apparently hadn't shaven in a day or two.

"Glen!" Teria said, frowning at the figure, "You know I hate it when you look all scruffy. Shave yourself at once!"

"What? Are you still asleep? C'mon, Teria, we need to get back to work on the engine!"

Teria awoke with a start. The first thing she saw was One's face on the wall … or rather, on the viewscreen in her quarters.

"I'm still on the simmersill." She muttered, running a hand through her hair.

"Good grief, really?" One said, feigning surprise, "So that's where all the water came from."

She groaned and tossed a pillow at her viewscreen. "Get out of my room, One."

"I'm not in your room, Teria. I'm at engine five, waiting for you."

"Engine five?"

"We're supposed to be fixing it, remember?"

Teria rubbed her head, making her hair even more disheveled. "Right … right. I'll be up there in a sec."

"All right. See you soon."

Teria fell back into her bunk as One's image vanished from the screen, her mind already drifting back into the dream realm.

"Ugh." She muttered, trying to find a good position. "I bet the floor would be more comfortable."

One appeared on the viewing screen again. "Teria!"

Annoyed, she sat bolt upright and snapped, "I'm up already!"

One blushed and averted his eyes. After a moment, Teria's gaze fell to the white fur covering her bare chest and stomach, all fully visible to the camera in the wall panel. As she fumbled for her blanket, One said, "C'mon, Teria, we've almost got this thing running. I can finish the work on the engine on my own, but I'm not as good a weave-navigator as you are."

She hopped out of bed and approached the screen, a sheet wrapped around her like a toga. "Flatterer."

"It's the truth. Now are you going to get up here, or do I hafta go pick you up?"

"I'd like to see you try, dream-boy." She deactivated the screen, effectively hanging up on him. She glanced at the bed and considered trying to go back to sleep again, but the last vestiges of grogginess were already gone after the sudden shock of exposing herself to One.

She let the sheet fall from her body as she walked over to her pack. She considered taking a shower, but decided against it; the salty sea air made her fur feel damp no matter how much she tried to dry off.

Unfortunately, Her clothes had the same humid feel to them. "Still," she reasoned as she slipped on a pair of blue jean shorts and a burgundy tube-top, "They'll dry up once I'm in the sun for a bit."

Her hand hesitated as her fingers brushed the turtles of the same pendant she once given Glen, the curse long since gone. A pang of guilt shot through her, more so than usual after her dream. With a sigh, she slipped the pendant around her neck.

She grabbed her interface cable and the improvised cyberdeck she had put together from some minor simmersill subsystems. She generally preferred not to use a cyberdeck when threading the weave, but she had found it helpful to have some extra protection when navigating the shambling mess that was the simmersill's computers.

Teria's door slid open as she approached, just in time for her to catch a glimpse of Jeronem barrelling past her room and down the hall. Teria poked her head out to call after the young vuestan and narrowly missed crashing into Jek.

"Outta the way, Teria!" Jek said, narrowly slipping past her. He continued running after the laughing Jeronem, shouting, "Gimmie back my gauntlet, you furry-eared runt!"

"Gotta catch me first, elf!" Jeronem called back.

Teria chuckled and shook her head as both Jeronem and Jek disappeared around the corner. "Kids."

As she started walking toward the deck, a nearby panel activated, showing a worried-looking man with thin brown hair and light blue eyes. He looked Galden, though Teria knew he was in fact human. "Tirinia?"

"Wrong tigreth; Tyr's probably with her knight." Teria told the man on the screen. "It's Ben, right? What's up?"

"I was just wondering if anyone's checked on Almaec lately."

Teria wasn't sure what to say. She hadn't ventured into the medical bay since the simmersill had 'crashed' to the surface. Still, she supposed someone should check on the fellow. Seeing as she recently developed a strong healing talent (something she still didn't fully understand), she reasoned it might as well be her.

"I can stop by." She said more enthusiastically than she felt.

"R-right. See you there."

As the screen blinked off, Teria wondered about Ben; according to Mikaen, Ben had been frozen in a massive chunk of crystallic in a Kindred facility hidden beneath Ronisgald. They had found him wearing the clothes that dated back to the time of the Mad King Calliban and wielding a pistol of Earth design.

Apparently from Earth some time before the Devastation, Ben struck Teria as rather timid to the point of actual fearful depending who was around at the time. As One had explained to her the lack of non-humans of Earth in Ben's time, she supposed this made sense.

As the door to the medical bay opened, a small robot with a vaguely female form and a cute doll-like face greeted her. It, or rather, she wore a pink-accented white nurse's dress. She didn't have legs beneath the dress, though the fact that she was floating in mid-air indicated some kind of hovering mechanism hidden beneath her skirt. She wasn't very large; at most, she was three feet tall from skirt to the top of her little white hat.

"Welcome to the medical bay!" the robot said cheerily, her facial movements amazingly lifelike. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Who in Nocturnes are you?" Teria asked, staring at the little robo-nurse.

The robot folded her tiny hands in front of her dress and bowed politely as she could manage while hovering. "My model code is 5U-23T-1E, but my creator called me Suzette."

Teria smiled; she knew some people feared artificial intelligence, but Suzette was adorable. It's hard to fear something when you want to pinch her cute little cheek. "When did you activate, sweetie?"

"A young man stopped by a week ago and stumbled upon my system by accident. He was kind enough to reactivate me. I believe he said his name was-"

"One?" Teria guessed.

Suzette blinked her solid blue eyes. "As a matter of fact, yes. You know him?"

"Hmm. Sometimes I wonder." Teria shook her head and gestured to the bed where Almaec rested. "How's he doing?"

Suzette floated over to the recumbent sentient. He stirred at her approach, his black-feathered wings twitching ever so slightly. She emanated a blue field over him until he settled down.

"His injuries were surprisingly minor. I've fixed the damage and am keeping him in a dreamless unconscious state as per One's instructions."

"Good thinking." Teria commented. Seeing Suzette's curious gaze, she said, "Almaec may be dangerous. We're still not sure on the details as of yet."

"One indicated as much." Suzette gazed at the sleeping sentient, her expression sympathetic. "It's strange; he seems so peaceful, doesn't he?"

The door to the medical bay slid open, revealing a worried-looking Benjamin.

"He's okay." Teria called out. "Just asleep."

Benjamin seemed relieved, though Suzette's appearance seemed to make him uncomfortable.

"Is it safe?" He asked curiously, eyeing Suzette.

"Perfectly." Suzette replied, misunderstanding his caution. "He'll sleep until I cease his medication."

"Ben," Teria said, gesturing at Suzette, "This is Suzette, the simmersill's auto-doc. One got her up and running."

Suzette gave him a mid-air curtsey. "A pleasure to meet you, mister."

He continued to stare at the little robot. She smoothed her dress, looking slightly nervous at Ben's unabashed attention.

Sighing, Teria said, "You're staring, Ben."

"Right." Ben said, his cheeks red. "I'm sorry, Suzette. I'm still getting used to how strange this place is."

"The simmersill?" Suzette asked politely.

"Among other things." He said dourly.

The ship shuddered for a few moments, not enough to make anyone lose their footing but more than enough to get their attention.

"What was that?!" Ben asked, looking around nervously.

Teria glared at the ceiling. "An impatient Dreamer. Look, I'd better get up there before One blows up the engine."

Suzette bowed respectfully. "Of course. Good day, Miss Teria."

Teria left the sick bay and headed for the exit hatch. After a few moments, she realized she was being followed.

"Something on your mind, Ben?" Teria asked, not stopping.

"Well, yes; I was wondering … well, I mean-"

"Spit it out." Teria said.

Ben let out a sigh. "I overhead Jeronem mentioning that you and One were lovers."

"Not lovers." Teria corrected, inwardly sighing. "We traveled together for a while the first time he came here."

"So you and he talked a lot?"

"Okay." Teria said, stopping and fixing Ben with an annoyed glare. "What are you getting at?"

"Has he ever mentioned Bridges?"

"Bridges? Yeah, he mentioned it. He was found there by the Rangers after the Devastation."

"And before that?"

Teria let out another sigh. "Look, if you want to ask him something, just ask him! I'm meeting up with him right now, so feel free to tag along."

"Er, okay. Right. I'm sorry I bothered you."

She held him in her gaze for a few more moments before continuing down the corridor. Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding Ben's origin, he didn't strike her as the suspicious type. Annoying maybe, but not suspicious.

The outer door was wide open by the time Teria and Ben arrived. Teria stepped through only to immediately run into Kevin.

"Oh! Sorry, big guy." Teria stepped back so that Kevin and his wife Jade could pass.

"Null problem." Kevin said cheerily. "Me and Jade were just gonna go grab some grub. You hungry?"

"Nah." Teria replied, "Just woke up. Is One still out there?"

The simmersill shuddered again.

"I'm guessing yes." Jade replied with a smirk.

Rolling her eyes, Teria exited the simmersill. Vinta's twin suns hung high in the sky as she walked along the port-side deck. Teria didn't care for the heat, but the sunlight did make the dampness in her fur and clothes go away.

There were five ring-shaped decks surrounding the main body of the simmersill: one around the main body, one on the very outside that carried the engines, and three rings between the other two. The three middle decks had small thrusters designed for maneuvering while underwater. Unfortunately, the thrusters were now hanging a good three feet above the ocean, making them useless for the simmersill's current predicament.

Teria walked down the outermost ring, which held the Simmersill's five engines. As Teria walked toward engine five, her eyes caught a flash of silver; several fish leapt across the walkway, their gleaming bodies shining in the sunlight. Long, slightly blue fins shimmered through the air as the fish glided over the deck and dove back down beneath the waves.

"Huh. I'll have to see if I can't rig up some kind of fishing pole." Teria commented, the thought of some fresh seafood making her stomach rumble. A ship mostly full of grown adults, and Mikaen was the only one so far who was even half-way decent at cooking.

There was no sign of One as Teria and Ben drew near the engine, save for a piece of metal plating lying on the deck. One of One's Headache Units was lying nearby as well, which told Teria she was in the right place.

"Yo, One!" Teria called out.

One's head popped into view through the hole in the engine. "Ah, Teria. Glad to see you finally decided to join me. Could you take a look at ignition subroutines? I can't fix this damn thing if it spontaneously activates every few minutes."

Teria put her hands on her hips. "Good morning, Teria. My, you're looking lovely today. Did you sleep well?"

"Sorry. Did you sleep well?" He said, scratching his neck with his unarmored right hand. The Anti-ka Maru was visible on the back of his hand where the Anti-ka Maru, the rune of reality supposedly symbolizing power over it, appeared for all intents and purposes to be nothing more than a tattoo.

"You kidding? I haven't had a good night's sleep since we got stranded." She jerked a thumb back at Ben. "Oh, by the way; have you met Benjamin yet?"

One peered behind Teria. "Must be an awfully thin fellow."

Teria turned, only to discover that Ben was nowhere to be seen.

"Huh." Teria murmured, her keen eyes sweeping over the decks, "I coulda sworn he was right behind me."

She shook her head and turned back to One. "So, the ignition subroutines then?"

"Yup. Make sure to check the secondary nodes for deterioration."

"Hey, how about you focus on the hardware and let the hacker deal with the weave?"

The engine shuddered again, this time strongly enough to make Teria stumble.

"Hey!" She said, glaring at One.

"Oops." One said, not sounding even remotely sincere. "Clumsy me."

Teria grabbed a bottle of engine oil One had left on the deck and squirted a stream of the dark liquid at the side of his green and gray-striped shirt.

"Hey!"

"Oops Clumsy me." She sauntered over to the control interface and tried to clean up what she could from the outside. She had already had quite enough of the simmersill's dusty control matrix, and if she could get it working without having to jack-in, all the better. Unfortunately (for her, anyway), everything externally seemed fine. With a sigh, she pulled out her interface cable and plugged it into her cyberdeck.

"Hey, Teria!"

She looked up just in time to catch a burst of cold water in the face.

"Aaack! What in the … Glen!"

One grinned at her, a small stream of ocean water trickling out of the end of one of his Headache modules.

With surprising speed, she tackled him against the side of the engine. Kicking and laughing, Teria and One fought over the Headache unit with the water, both getting soaked in the process. She had just managed to wrestle the unit off of his arm when the intercom on the control panel activated.

"One! Teria!" Jek's voice shouted through the intercom, "What in Nocturnes is going on over there?"

"Uh, everything's fine, Jek. Right Teria?"

"Yup. Nothing wrong over here." Teria's eyes flicked over to One. "One just grabbed me a little drink, and I wanted to return the favor."

Jek let out an exasperated sigh. "As if having to deal with one child wasn't enough. Do I need to separate you two before you tear the ship apart?"

"Relax, Jek." One said as he emptied the rest of the water back into the ocean. "We're just having a little break. Engine five should be online in a few minutes."

"Good. Let me know when you're finished."

One clipped the radio back on his belt. "That guy's starting to get on my nerves."

"Give him a break; he's not used to having to tough it out like this."

Snorting, One said, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Royalty, huh?"

"Hey!" Teria bristled, "I'm royalty!"

"Phhb. You don't count."

She aimed a swat at him, but he was already walking back to the damaged engine. Feeling a bit put out, she blew a raspberry at him before sitting down and sliding the interface cable into the port in the back of her neck.

The simmersill's weave was ancient; appearing to her virtual eyes as the simmersill itself, it was filled with corrupted paths, glitched segments, and slow data transfer segments. Visually, this appeared as broken segments of deck plating, visually distorted areas, and thick web-like growths that made it difficult to navigate. Fortunately, however, the ship was not connected to the planet-wide Weave; as such, she was able to ghost the ship's weave, navigating it without relying on her avatar. In addition to reducing the nasty feeling she recieved from interfacing with the ancient system, she didn't have to spend hours cleaning errant bits out of her avatar's data matrix later.

She waved her hand at the engine, making it grow in her eyes. Amid all the parts, she could make out the life signal of One himself, busily working. The temptation to mess with him was strong, but she focused her thoughts instead on the ignition subroutines. She spotted the problem almost immediately; the command pathways now led to dead ends, the signals fading into the mess that was the ship's weave. It took her less than a minute to reconnect the pathways to their appropriate functions.

"All right." She said, her voice sounding strangely distant. "It should be ready."

One's life signs climbed out of the engine. "All clear!" She heard him call, again, his voice strangely distant.

Teria nodded and activated the ignition system.

"Come on!" She coaxed as the system moved sluggishly, "Start working, you piece of-"

The engine flared to life, pulling that half of the simmersill down at enough of an angle to send some of One's gear sliding across the deck. The Headache unit One wasn't using caught most of the tools, One apparently having the good sense to magnetize the unit to the hull.

Feeling herself starting to slide, Teria tried to quickly disconnect from the system only to find her egress slowed by the ancient system, now taxed with the operation of the engine. One must have realize her predicament; Teria felt his arms wrap around her and hold her steady as the engine slowed down to a more normal speed, the thrusters nearest the engine now just barely submerged in the water.

"Hah-ah!" Teria said as the musty feel of the simmersill's weave was replaced with the warmth of the suns. She yanked her interface plug out of her datajack before giving One a big hug. "We fixed it! It's working!"

"Hell yeah, it is!" He said with a wide grin, "One more engine, and we'll have this tub moving!"

"Teria, One, report! Is everything okay?"

Teria broke away from One and activated the intercom on the side of the engine. "Yeah, we're good. Engine five is good to go!"

"One sec." The engine shut down and restarted a few times without difficulty. "Looks good. One more engine, and we might be able to finally get somewhere, preferably somewhere with decent food."

"I hear that. We're moving to engine three." Teria said as One gathered the tools and supplies that hadn't fallen into the ocean.

"Roger. Check in once you've got an estimate."

"Hmpf." Teria snorted as she gathered her own gear. "We do all the work and he and Mikaen sit on their asses. Yeah, that's totally fair."

One hefted one of the packs over his shoulder. "Mikaen's still weak from making that portal."

"Yeah, right! And the fact that Tirinia's been hovering over him has nothing to do with it." She snorted again. "At this rate, I'm going to be an aunt before we get back to Muonsol."

One chuckled as he picked up the last of his gear. Turning back to Teria, he asked, "Well, shall we?"

As he started walking across the outer ring of the simmersill toward the next engine, Teria called out, "Hang on a sec."

"Is everything okay?" One asked, his smile fading into a look of concern.

Teria rubbed her neck. "I'm feeling a bit numb from the interface. You mind if we hang here for a sec?"

"Sure thing." One tossed his gear back on the deck and sat down beside Teria. "We're due for a break anyway."

They stared up at the twilit sky in silence. Ronisgald had faded from view the previous week as the simmersill had drifted away from the continent, leaving nothing but water as far as their eyes could see.

After a few moments, Teria glanced over at One and asked, "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

One chuckled, his cheeks slightly red. "I was thinking about what Two said. Y'know, before he stormed off."

"Oh." She felt awkward for a few seconds. "I'm sorry."

To her surprise, One laughed. "For Two? Don't be. He's always been like this."

"He came to bring you back-"

"He brought me back so he'd have someone to talk to. He's not exactly popular among the Dreamers."

"Really?" She said, surprised.

"Let's just say he has a reputation for being a bit of a jerk. Back when we actually kept score on assignments, he found a way to cheat the system by performing the last action; pushing the right button, pulling the right lever, that sort of thing. He'd get credit for the whole assignment while some other poor schmuck would get chewed out by Teach for being a layabout."

"How often were you the Schmuck?"

One met her gaze for a moment before chuckling and shaking his head. "Most of the time."

"Don't let what he said get to you, Glen." Teria said, puting her hand on his shoulder. "He's just mad because you're actually out there making a difference while he screws around."

One cracked a smile. "Yeah. I guess you're right. Still, sometimes I'd really like to throttle the smug bastard."

They both laughed. After a few moments of silence, Teria asked, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. Giving up your power to save me."

"Oh." There was another brief pause before he said, "Because you're my friend, Teria. Seeing you lying there, hurt, all I could think about was making it better, making it right. Not just your wounds, but … everything."

"Oh?"

He let out an embarrassed chuckle. "I've been remembering more about the time we spent together. We spent two years wandering around this planet, and the more I think about it, the more I wonder if I made the right choice when I left with Two. I mean, look at all we did when we thought this was just a tattoo."

They gazed at the rune on the back of his right hand for a few moments. Shaking his head, One said, "I've done a whole lot of good in the universe as a Dreamer of the Elsewhere, saved a ton of people, brought a bunch together ... it's good work, I know that, but sometimes …"

"Yes?" She pressed, subtly scooting even closer.

One sighed. "I miss it just being us wandering around, finding trouble, and making it right." As he lowered his hand, his fingers brushed against hers. He pulled them away almost instantly, murmuring, "Sorry."

After a few moments, Teria put her hand over his.

"Glen." She said tentatively, "We could do it again. After this stuff with Mikaen and the Revs … I mean, there's plenty of Vinta left. Surely even you haven't seen it all."

One didn't respond, though he certainly looked thoughtful. Feeling this was a good sign, Teria pressed on.

"I know you and Luck still have a thing." She said, trying to ignore the rapid beating of her heart, "And I'm not saying you have to give that up. I mean, unless you want to?"

One met her gaze. Realizing how her last words sounded, Teria blushed and turned away. "Sorry. I didn't mean ... y'know."

A long uncomfortable period of silence fell between them, right up until each suddenly looked at the other.

"I still have feelings-"

"I can't stop thinking-"

"Attention stranded craft!"

One and Teria jerked away from each other, startled by the sudden communication from Headache's radio receiver.

The voice continued, "We are having been monitoring your position happenstance and are perfectly and ably willing to provide assistance. Please proceed to sending your response!"

"That's a Rimstakken, or I'm Wong Fo-lee." One said, his brow furrowed as he worked Headache's controls.

Teria nodded in agreement. "Definitely. Y'know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say she sounds like-"

"I am having repeat: this is the Rimstakken airship Phoenix, having been created and being piloted by Guildchild Forgetit Shae Mschens."

Teria grabbed One's Headache-clad arm and jerked it toward her. "Shae! Thank the Creator, it's me, Teria!"

"Oh, thanks been having to the Creator of all! I was so completely worried that you were been having been reached your final ending! Who is all being there?"

"Mikaen and Jeronem of Homestead, Tirinia and me, a handful of Galden and …"

Teria's eyes flashed to One. One nodded in reply to her silent question.

"… and Narrator Number One of the Elsewhere Incorporate."

There was another long pause. "Please be repeating; did you indicate the presence of personage Narrator Number One?"

"Yeah, he's here with us." Teria paused.

"The Dreamer?"

Teria rolled her eyes. "No, Narrator Number One the soup cook. What other Narrator Number One is there? Look, how long till you get here, Shae?"

"We, uh, will been having arrived in a few minutes."

"All right. See you when you get here."

As Headache's radio receiver went silent, Teria slapped One on the arm. "Race you to the intercom!"

They made a mad dash for the nearest intercom station. While the weeks spent working on the simmersill had improved One's stature, he was still no match for Teria in terms of speed. She easily outpaced One and slammed her hand down on the intercom.

"Jek, did you get that?"

"Get what?" Jek's voice came from the intercom. "Look, forget that; I'm reading a massive energy source approaching; is everything okay?"

"I'd say that's a definite yes." Teria said. "You'd better tell everyone to meet up on the deck; we're getting rescued."


	2. Unconventional Circumvention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teach forbids the other Dreamers from interfering with One's assignment, even going so far as to put a guard around the planet. Yeah, let's see how well that works.

Two stirred at the constant mumbling that pervaded his dreamless sleep. Somewhere deep in his still-boozed subconscious, he knew that waking up would bring only pain and misery, and he was in no hurry to experience either.

" … could be made to …"

"Perhaps … but I …"

As he tried to fall back into oblivion, the voices began to grow louder.

"Interference … too little information …"

"… can't just sit here …"

He grunted. Part of him wanted to tell the voices to shut up, but that would involve waking up.

As though responding to his thoughts, the voices fell silent.

"About time." He murmured as he began to drift away from the impending headache.

"TWO!"

Two sat bolt upright in his chair with a yelp, his eyes wide.

Thirteen Dreamers stared back at him from around the table of the Great Hall: Max (the resident tech-head), Alex the Toymaker (who used to live in the Great Hall prior to settling down), Bert and Eddie (the Elsewhere's cooks), Naomi (Mom to all and keeper of the Lobby), Teach (the self-styled leader of the Elsewhere), the gentle and kind Karma and her somewhat less gentle and kind sister Fate, Atraius (keeper of the Forest), the somewhat strange and extremely eccentric Wong Fo-lee, Melody (master singer, musician, composer, and conductor of the Elsewhere Symphony Orchestra); and of course myself, Alan Tryth, Chronicler of the Elsewhere. Even Jay, the Elsewhere's resident hippie was there, smoking something that left a big smile on his face much to Karma and Alex's chagrin.

Realization suddenly crept into Two's mind. Unfortunately, a massive headache crept in as well. "Gaaah!"

Teach glared at Two. "Finally decided to join us, Two?"

"Not so loud." Two clutched his throbbing head.

"Maybe next time you'll lay off the paint thinner." Shaking his head, Teach turned back to the group. "As I was saying-"

"How the hell did I get here?" Two asked, "I mean, my memory's a bit hazy, but I'm pretty sure I don't drink in the Great Hall."

"I carried you here!" Wong said, his voice screeching particularly loudly in Two's ear. "'Cause we're friends!"

Two let his head hit the table with a loud thump.

"Does anyone else have something to say?" Teach looked around the room at the others and nodded. "Good. In that case-"

Two's head shot up. "Wait! Where the hell is One?"

Teach frowned at Two. "He's not here."

"I can see that." Two snapped, "Why didn't someone else go get him?"

"Which brings me back to what I was saying." Teach said, glaring at Two. "I've placed a guard around-"

"Where's Luck?"

With a frustrated sigh, Teach tossed his notebook on the table and threw up his hands. "Please, by all means, talk amongst yourselves. I'll wait."

Teach's wife, Karma, put a hand on her husband's arm. "Honey, please; it's a good question." When Teach didn't respond, she turned to Two and said, "Luck's on Vinta. Apparently she found a way around the guard."

"There is no way around the guard." Teach insisted. "Guards block all Dreamer abilities including the CPD, and my guard's covering Vinta completely. She must have managed to slip through before I put up the guard."

Wong poked Two's shoulder. Two, however, was in no mood to deal with Wong's foolishness.

"And what about Captain Morgan?" asked Two. "Tell me you didn't just leave him flying around Ronisgald."

Max shook his head. "No, Captain Morgan was here earlier. Said he had to drop something off with that CIC One keeps around."

"That CIC has a name, Max. It's Rebecca." Fate snorted. "You'd remember that if she was a guy."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Two demanded, rising to his feet. "One's stuck on Vinta because Teach put up a guard to keep us from helping, and you're going to argue gender bias?

"Children." Mom's tone may have been soft, but it held the undercurrent of authority that her nickname implied.

Two and Fate exchanged glares across the table before slowly sitting down in perfect unison.

Taking advantage of the lull in the fighting, Teach said, "One's on Vinta, and I don't want anyone interfering with him or his assignment without my direct supervision."

"What's the matter?" Atraius smiled at Teach. "Don't trust us?"

"This isn't a matter of trust. What happened to One was the result of the interference of multiple Dreamers."

"What are you talking about?" Max asked, not taking his eyes off the notepad on which he was currently scribbling.

Teach took a deep breath and said, "Where to begin? First, we have Alex tipping Mikaen off to Angela, distracting him from his portal."

Alex raised his hands defensively. "He asked for help, I gave him help."

"Second." Teach said, as though not hearing Alex, "We have Captain Morgan, steering his floor into the mainstream and creating widespread chaos!"

"A little chaos is healthy, man." said Jay before taking a pull on his blunt. "True order is a hypocrisy! Freedom's about being free and not restricted by rules!"

"Spoken like a true hippie." Melody said. Two liked her; she never wore a bra, and favored silk dresses.

"Third, We've got Max stealing hunks of crystallic from the mines."

Max nodded, still writing. "Luck let me in on a nice deposit with some massive charge. Good thing too; I'm gonna need it for my next project."

"Which brings us to Luck, who seems to be deliberately messing up everything I'm trying to do." Teach held up a hand as Fate opened her mouth, presumably to complain. "She's disabled security, manipulated other Dreamers, and led the Celestial Cathedral in the Kelshira District into a state of complete anarchy."

"And she slipped by the guard." said Wong as he continued to poke Two in the arm.

"There is no way to get past the guard!" Teach said hotly.

Bert raised his hand, his skinny partner Eddie doing the same. "Uh, Teach? I don't mean to bug you, but well, we're still working on the Windstar Assignment. Got a big feast we're working on for the President's new son, and we gotta do it there to avoid any weird questions."

Teach nodded. "I'll lower the guard for you, but keep in mind you won't be able to come back until I lower it for good."

Bert and Eddie rose from the table. The moment Teach snapped his fingers, the mismatched chefs hurried to the nearest wall and disappeared through a CPD.

As he snapped his fingers again, Two complained, "Oh, so they get to go but we're got to stay here."

"It's nothing personal." Teach said. "I just need to make sure there are no more complications. In the meantime, I've got other assignments on the board that could-"

"STOP POKING MY ARM, YOU DEMENTED LITTLE FREAK!"

Everyone turned to stare at Two, who felt his face grow hot. Wong began to bawl. "Teeeeeeach! Two yelled at me for a legitimate reason!"

Teach let his head fall into his hands. "I hate this job."

Karma rubbed his shoulders, whispering something that Two couldn't quite catch over Wong's continued crying.

I closed my black leather notebook and let out a polite cough. "Teach, if I may?"

Teach waved at me to continue.

I stood up and faced my peers, a frightening proposition at the best of times. "I understand that we're all worried about One. I … Wong, please stop crying. As I was saying, I know we'd all like to help him out in any way we can. I know I certainly do. Still, it was because so many of us were trying to assist that this situation has arisen. We aren't abandoning One; Teach just needs a little time to get a grip on the situation. It isn't just One's life that is on the line; Mikaen is part of this as well. I'm certain One's presence with the True Knight is vital to his success; if we simply pluck him out, we risk ruining everything One has done. None of us wants that, right?"

I could tell from the other Dreamer's faces that my little speech had the proper effect. Unfortunately, it didn't affect everybody.

"Forget this, man." Two stood up and started toward the nearest door.

"Two!" Teach called out, "Where are you going?"

"The only thing I can do: get drunk." With a final disgusted snort, he stomped through the door and slammed it behind him.

The gray room behind the door was a completely normal hallway, save for the fact that it was upside-down. Gravity, on the other hand, worked exactly the same.

As Two edged around a chandelier, he realized he was angry. He wasn't angry at me (though at the time, I feared as much); he was mad at Teach.

"Stupid moron." Two muttered to himself, taking leaping swat at a vase that was just a little above his reach.

"Who?"

Two jerked his head around to see Wong's innocent face. Why are you still here?"

"Because that's what it says in the script!"

"What? Ugh, will you go away already!" Two started stomping away.

"But Two, I-"

"I don't wanna hear it! Don't you get it, Wong? I don't like you!"

Wong grinned lopsidedly. "You always hurt the ones you love?"

Two let out a groan and started walking away.

"Come on, Two!" Wong pressed, "You'd listen to One!"

"That's because One's my friend, even if he did do something mind-numbingly stupid for some girl he claims he doesn't even care about anymore. You are not my friend."

"You're just saying that because you're afraid of commitment."

Two spun around. "You're an annoying, screeching, bizarre little twerp who seems to have made it his one mission in life to do everything humanly possible to annoy the hell out of me. We're not friends, we're not chums, we're not pals. I'm not even comfortable with calling you a casual acquaintance!"

"Bosom companions?"

"No! We're not anything, and we're not going to be anything! There's nothing, absolutely nothing you can say that would make me change my-"

"I know how to get through the guard."

Two covered the distance between them in a matter of seconds. "Really?"

Wong beamed at him. "See, you do like me!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you really know a way through the guard?"

Wong nodded. "Yup. Come on!"

The two Dreamers rushed through the upside-down corridor into the Workshop. Max was already there, but he was too busy working at one of his many workbenches to pay any attention as Two and Wong hurried to a door beside a vehicle that looked like the offspring of a grand piano and a monster truck. He didn't even raise an eyebrow at Two's yell as both Two and Wong fell into the pit beyond the door only to land in a large pool of plastic balls.

Fighting their way through the ball pit, the two dreamers reached the exit door and stepped through it into the Mall. Their emergence from the door amid a flurry of plastic balls caught the eye of many shoppers, but Wong didn't stop there. Onward he rushed, Two close behind him. They went the wrong way up an escalator and stopped at a large video game store.

Wong sat there with his hands on his hips for a long moment. Two stood beside him, staring at the store for some sign how it contained the power to let the two of them somehow bypass the guard.

After a few minutes passed without any comment from Wong, Two demanded, "Well? Where's our ticket past the guard?"

Wong raised a hand with his pointer finger extended. "The path to saving our buddy lies not before us, but …"

He spun around and pointed at the shop behind them, a rather dingy-looking washateria operated by a sleeping teenage girl with green hair.

Two stared at the shop for a few moments. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"I put it there!" Wong told him. "I needed to clean my socks!"

"Uh-huh." Two rubbed his eyes. He wasn't sure what bothered him more; that Wong hadn't come through with a way around the guard, or that Two had actually believed that he might.

"And while separating all the white socks from the plaid socks and the green socks and the socks with the little yellow umbrellas and … well, you get the idea. Anyway, that's when I found it!"

Before Two could protest, Wong pulled him forward into the shop. The teenager at the counter continued texting on her phone without giving them so much as a sideways glance.

"Y'know how you always lose socks when you're doin' laundry?" Wong asked as he tugged Two toward a large dryer.

"Uh, I guess so."

"Aha!"

Wong produced a massive sock and jammed it over Two's head and upper body. Two tried to get it off, but the sock neatly pinned his arms to his sides.

"Don't worry, Two! This'll be fun!"

Two realized Wong's plan when heard the sound of the dryer door being opened. "Oh, no! I'm not going to …"

While trying to back away from the open dryer, he tripped over a box someone had strategically placed at the back of his feet and fell into an even larger dryer that had been left open behind him. The door slammed shut with the force of a time-locked vault.

"Wong!" Two shouted as the dryer began to spin wildly, "Let me outta here! WONG!"

After a few very disorientating minutes, however, he realized he was no longer being spun. A rising panic deep in his gut delivered the frightening news that he was free-falling.

He fought as best he could to tear the sock off of his body. It was difficult; Two couldn't even begin to imagine where Wong had found a tube-sock in that size. With a lot of effort, he managed to free one of his arms. His escape attempt was interrupted when he landed on something incredibly soft.

Whatever it was absorbed the force of his fall in moments. He sat in the encompassing soft mass for a few seconds as his mental faculties returned to normal.

"Two!"

Two ripped the enormous sock off of his head and glared at Wong's perpetually cheerful face. "You son of a -"

He stopped; they were lying on a small mountain of socks. Some had holes, others looked new, but all of them were clean and dry. The scent of flowery washing detergent was everywhere.

"No," He murmured, "You've got to be kidding. Everyone jokes about this, but it can't be real."

"Indeed it is!" Wong chimed in. "This is where all the socks across the universe go when they're lost!"

There was no arguing with Wong; there must've been billions of socks all around him. That still left a few very poignant questions, namely 'how?' and 'why?'.

The socks underneath Two shifted ever so slightly. Two tried to crawl to more secure ground, but the pile he was sitting on was already collapsing under his weight. With a yelp, he slid down the sock mountain. Wong slid down past Two, a look of absolute glee on his face as he passed.

It was impossible to slow down; even if Two managed to grab a handful of socks, they just got pulled along for the ride.

A tumbling eternity later, Two slid to a halt on a light layer of socks.. He scarcely had time to rise to his wobbly feet before Wong grabbed his hand and started pulling him along again, eventually pulling them both behind a stone outcropping.

"What in the …"

"Shh!" Wong held a finger to Two's mouth and looked pointedly to their right. Two watched as twenty feather-winged figures wearing robes that looked to have been sewn out of socks slowly walked into view. At the very edge of the sock plain, the members of the mysterious cult all raised their sock-covered hands and began to chant, blue-green stream energy swirling around them.

Two watched in fascination. "What are they doing?"

"Shh!"

As Two rolled his eyes, the chanting rose in pitch. In a matter of moments, the massive surge of stream energy shot from the group and engulfed the mountain of socks. The entire pile rose into the air and began to spin wildly, a veritable tornado of socks. As the sock-cyclone rose through the air, a massive portal appeared above it. The portal snapped shut without a sound once the last of the socks were gone, leaving the air strangely still. Without another word, the mysterious figures all turned around and left as a group.

"Whoa." Two muttered, looking at the now bare section of mountain. "That was weird."

"I've been watching them for a while; they do this every day right about now."

"But why?"

Wong gave Two a weird look. "To clean up the mountain side, maybe?"

"Yeah, but where do the socks come from? How do they get here? Where are they sending them? When-"

A long argyle sock with a single red band landed on Two's head. A few other socks fell to the ground like leaves from a very strange tree.

Two stared at the wool piece of clothing hanging over his nose for a few moments before saying, "Y'know what? Never mind. I don't want to know. Just tell me where we are."

Wong pointed at the winged people again. "Isn't obvious?"

After staring at the sock-covered backs of the angelic group for a few moments, Two looked back at where the mountain of socks had previously stood. Without the excess laundry, it was a rather idyllic little valley that still held the artificial flower smell.

"I'd say Heaven," He said after a few moments of thought, "but I'm sober, and the girls aren't topless."

Wong laughed. "You're funny! We're on Rising Star!"

Two thought about it, but came up blank. The name didn't even sound vaguely familiar. Rolling his eyes, Wong grabbed Two's hand and began running again, taking care to steer clear of the departing sentients.

Faster and faster, Wong dashed across the valley onto the plains while Two stumbled along behind him. The mountains around the valley fell away, melding into a smooth grass-covered plain dotted with a few sparse trees. Still, Wong ran onward with Two in tow.

Finally fed up with being dragged around, Two tore away from Wong's grasp. Unfortunately, his momentum took him over the edge of the field, which was in fact a cliff.

By some miracle of circumstance, his foot caught on the edge of a tree root and left him hanging upside down. He stared down at the clouds, not comprehending what he was seeing. Where he had expected a steep slope leading to another field, all he saw were clouds.

Realization set in moments later, accompanied by a feeling of terror that send him scrambling back over the edge of the plain.

"Thanks for the warning, Wong!" Two snapped as he struggled to pull himself over the edge.

In a rare show of helpfulness, Wong caught Two's hand and hauled him back to land. "Gotta be careful, buddy! Fall off and it'll take you about ten minutes to land in …" He peered over the edge of the continent. "Rimstak."

"Rimstak? You mean we're on Vinta?" Two peered over the side, but all he could see were clouds.

Wong nodded enthusiastically. "Indeed. Well, above it anyway."

"Well, I have to give you credit." Two said, wincing slightly at the emotional pain the words caused him, "You found a way around Teach's guard. A strange way, but a way nonetheless. All we need to do now is … why are you shaking your head?"

"We're not past Teach's guard."

Two's mouth fell. "Are you telling me you jammed me in a sock and sent me through a dryer cycle when I could've just taken the CPD or teleported here myself?"

"Yup."

Not for the first or last time, Two fought back the urge to pummel Wong into a greasy smear. "Fine! Then why are we here?"

He pulled his hand back before Wong could grab it. "Ah! I'm not going anywhere else until I know how you plan to get past the guard."

Wong sighed. "You don't trust me. That hurts, Two. Well, if you're going to be that way, then just follow me."

Just after he had taken enough steps that Two started to follow, Wong whirled around again and said, "But your hand holding privileges have been revoked! Ha! Bet your sorry now!"

"In tears." Two grumbled as he spun Wong around and shoved him forward.


	3. The Claudius Gardens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Xemptarians of Rising Star are not fond of visitors. Then again, who would actually want to find Narrator Number Two and Wong Fo-lee poking around in their backyard?

The floating continent known as 'Rising Star' does not, of course, float naturally. The land has been placed under a heavy, self-sustaining enchantment that continually keeps the floating island in the light of the suns. Some believe that the sentients are responsible for the enchantment, while others point to the ancient Kindred civilization. Speculation aside, Rising Star is kept both afloat and temperate year-round.

While most sentient tribes share commercial and political ties, they do not generally intermingle. There's no law against it, of course, and it's not uncommon to see members of the various tribes all over the continent, but most settlements are defined by the majority.

Xemptarians rule the mountains from castle-like fortifications and homes shaped from stone, alcians tend to favor the area around Truth Spire, beratians tend to stay on the plains, and sonari live nomadically across the continent.

There are settlements, however, that cater to a wider variety of sentient tribes, including remnants of the lost tribes. There is one such settlement in a vale near the base the largest of the Nerandios Mountains known as the Claudius Gardens. The name comes from the Ivus Claudius, the leader of a group of xemptarians who first settled the vale ages ago. Most of the houses were built right into the slope of the valley.

Technology is almost nonexistent; all sentients are inherently skilled with magic, and those living in the Claudius Gardens use their skills for everything from tilling and enriching soil to protecting plants from diseases and harmful insects.

The Claudius Gardens are unique for several reasons; while originally under the jurisdiction of the xemptarians, it became large enough to earn its own seat at Skycall, the sentient equivalent of the Council. In addition, the variety in residents has led to a city council that votes on the delegate sent to the Skycall, rather than defaulting to a xemptarian. The most interesting unique point about the Claudius Gardens, however, is that it is the only city on Rising Star that trades regularly with the groundling nations.

Unfortunately, the relationship between the Claudius Gardens and the groundlings does not typically include visitation rights. Since neither Two nor Wong had either wings or the shape-shifting talent, they were forced to sneak through the fields of waving trabi grain.

"Good thing Xemptarians can't fly." Two commented, trying to ignore the stinging sensations as the grains whipped across his face and arms. "I've already spent enough time in xemptarian dungeons."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Not on purpose or anything; they just didn't like the fact I was sneaking bottles of wine from one of their monasteries. Buncha blow-hards, if you ask me."

"Well, you were stealing wine."

Two shrugged. "Bah. I took one bottle; they had thousands in their reserve."

"Must be a sacred thing. I had a lot of trouble with a bunch of priests over a sacred cloth that supposedly came from a prophet."

"You stole it?" Two asked curiously.

"Er, only for a moment. I really needed to blow my nose."

Two chuckled. "Norms, huh? Takes a special kind of idiot to think old bones and decayed clothes are magical. I'm a person of power, but can I sell my used underwear online? Noooooo."

Wong stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong?" asked Two.

"Are we bonding?"

"Are … no! We aren't!"

As Two refused any more communication at that point, they slipped out of the trabi fields in relative silence and headed toward a large grove of what looked like apples covered with a light level of crystallic. The fruit grew in a wide variety of colors, but Two wasn't sure if that was due to the fruit pigmentation or the crystal growth.

"Geens." Two said, the crystal-fruit catching his curiosity for a second. "They look ripe too."

Wong pulled one off the tree and tried to take a bite unsuccessfully.

Two chuckled. "Crystallic may melt in the mouth, but it's still crystal. Besides, you take a bite of that, and I'll have to carry you around."

Wong gave the geen a questioning look. "Naturally alcoholic?"

"No, but that much crystallic will make you trip balls." Two snatched the geen from Wong. "And the last thing I need is for you to start hallucinating before you tell me the plan."

"The plan?"

"Yes?" Two prompted.

Wong's face fell. Scratching the side of his head, he said, "Huh. I had it just a second ago."

Rolling his eyes, Two licked the side of the geen. The top layer of crystallic evaporated, leaving behind a vague scent of cinnamon and giving Two a brief stream rush that made the situation just a bit less unbearable.

Hearing someone approaching, Two tossed away the geen, slapped his hand over Wong's mouth, and dragged him behind one of the geen trees. Two winged figures walked into the geen grove; a young woman with feathered wings and a man with scaled wings who appeared to have trouble walking without assistance due to malformed legs. They looked to be the same age, though the man's solid white hair marked him as being older than his blonde friend.

"Thank you, Manna." He said gratefully as she helped him to a wooden bench. "My legs aren't what they used to be."

She sat down beside him, her lips pursed. "I still wish you'd agree to the cybernetic upgrades."

"What for? I've gotten around perfectly fine all my life. No reason to have to go through the surgery and deal with the medication for the rest of my life."

"You'd only need the medication for the first few months unless there were rejection issues." Manna pressed. "The new Kaboum models are much lighter, and Mister Norbin did offer to pay for them."

Claudius gave her a funny look. "You're awfully insistent today. You've been talking with your aunt again, haven't you?"

He chuckled as Manna's face went red. "I had a feeling."

"She's worried about you." Manna said, twisting her hands.

Claudius laughed, not unkindly. "Camilla's always worried about me. I swear, if I wasn't still in love with the woman-"

"You'd still put up with it." Manna finished with a smile.

"You're right, of course." He let out a sigh and said, "Well, maybe I'll look at it later. For now, we should get started; levitate one of those barrels over here, would you?"

One of the barrels beside the Two's tree rose in the air and floated toward the two sentients. From the sound of sloshing, the barrel was filled with liquid, presumably water.

Claudius walked over to the tree with the aid of his cane, his niece joining him a moment later to help him begin picking the softly glowing geens. After each piece of fruit was inspected, it was thrown into the barrel where it floated for a few seconds before sinking to the bottom.

Two was still staring at the graceful way Manna plucked each fruit from the tree when Wong tapped him on the arm and pointed away from the grove. Two reluctantly nodded and followed after Wong.

Just before they were about to leave the grove, Manna sneezed.

Wong piped up, "Bless you!"

Two hauled Wong behind the nearest tree before the two sentients could see him. "What the hell? Does the concept of stealth escape your scrambled mind?"

"A man's own manner and character is what most becomes him." Wong replied instantly.

Two thumped him in the head. "If I wanted fortune-cookie philosophy, I'd go to a Chinese buffet!"

"I say, who is that?" Claudius asked, their argument giving away what Wong's goof only hinted at.

Rolling his eyes, Two said, "Great. Now you've done it."

"Let's rush 'em!" Wong said, his eyes shining with over-eagerness.

"It's an old man and a woman."

"All right, I'll decoy while you flank. Go, go, go!"

Wong leapt out from behind the tree and made a goofy face at Claudius and Manna before diving over a nearby fence and promptly getting stuck head-first in a pile of hay. Two stepped out into the open, his cheeks burning as he said, "Look, don't panic, okay? We're not here to cause any trouble."

Claudius stared at him for a long moment, a smile slowly appearing on his face. "It's not a problem, I assure you. After all, I'd be a fool to not welcome a member of the Elsewhere Incorporate."

Two stared at Claudius. "You know who I am?"

"I'm unfamiliar with you, good sir, but how could I not recognize Wong Fo-lee, the man who saved time?"

Manna looked at her uncle, surprise in her eyes. "Truly?"

"I took a bus!" Wong proclaimed, as Two hauled him out of the straw.

After brushing himself off, Wong pulled off his hand with an audible 'pop' and handed it to Claudius. "Nice ta meetcha!"

Claudius regarded Wong's hand with some amusement for a moment. "Indeed. So, what brings the denizens of the Elsewhere to my humble gardens?"

"Easy-peasy!" Wong exclaimed. "We're on a mission to rescue a friend!"

Claudius raised his eyebrows at this. "As there are two of you, I surmise that this friend is either really important or another Dreamer."

"Oh, yes!" Wong agreed. "Very important. He's One important guy, isn't he, Two?"

Two glared at Wong.

"He's really One in a million, right?"

Groaning, Two said, "That's enough."

"One might say he's really in a fix!"

Two reached over and peeled Wong's mouth off of his face.

"Oh, come on!" Wong's mouth said as it twisted in Two's hand like a pair of worms. "What's wrong? Can't take the pun-ishment?"

"I'm sure I hate you." Two muttered.

"I thought you just thought you hated me."

"I thought about it, and decided I'm sure. Go fetch." He slapped the lips on a geen from the barrel and tossed it as far as he could.

Claudius smiled as Wong ran after his mouth. "A bit on the eccentric side, isn't he?"

"A bit? A bit would be refreshing." Shaking his head, Two said, "A friend of ours is stuck on the surface, but there's a guard blocking us from just taking a CPD down-"

"Hold on a moment; what is a CPD?" Claudius asked curiously.

""And a guard? What's that?" Manna pressed.

Two let out a sigh. "It's complicated."

"It often is." Claudius agreed.

Two glared at both of them. "You're not going to let me out of this, are you? Fine; a guard is essentially an anti-Dreamer field. Dreamer abilities cannot go through the guard, which means we can't just teleport down to the surface, or take the Conveniently Placed Door … the CPD."

Manna asked, "Won't you lose your powers if you go down there?"

"No, the guard doesn't block out powers; it's more like a protective layer preventing them from moving across. When we get down to the planet-"

Two stopped abruptly as he realized Wong's plan. "Of course! I can't believe I didn't think of it before the weirdo!"

Claudius shook his head, looking confused. "I don't understand."

"The guard is around the planet, blocking Dreamer activity." Two explained while Wong adjusted his face. "We can't teleport through it, but if something happened to carry us past the guard-"

"!melborp on , atniV hcaer ot elba eb d'eW-"

Two ripped Wong's mouth off, turned it around, and slapped it back on his face. "Exactly."

"So … what's that mean?" asked Manna.

"It means we've got a ride to catch. Where's the transport you use to trade goods with the surface?"

"You'll never get close enough to sneak aboard." Claudius warned him. "We ship it out almost as soon as we get it back, and security's on hand to prevent any stowaways."

"Really?" Two asked, "This happens a lot?"

"Not really. Every now and then some dreamer … the non-Elsewhere kind of dreamer will try to catch a lift here out of curiosity. We're always nice enough to send them back, but if they find out you've already been here-"

"Trouble, yeah. I get it. Any ideas?"

Claudius tapped his lower lip with the handle of his cane. "Hmm. I might have just the thing."

While the Claudius Gardens trade with most countries in limited amounts, their largest trade partner by far is Rimstak. Their arrangement with the Rimstakken-based Norbin Trade Company was mutually beneficial, so much so that the owner was actually given a tour of the Claudius Gardens and is allowed to visit on rare occasions. Torneko Norbin had cornered the market with his rather novel idea for product transport: put simply, they fire it out of a cannon.

The transport vehicle is a large metal orb that surrounds a series of smaller metal orbs. The area between each layer is filled with a gel-like substance that allows the inner-most compartment to remain completely immobile under any circumstances. While there were enchantments to protect the cargo from damage (be it jostling around or air pirates), it took a lot of power to shoot something that large and heavy to another continent, and Two knew it.

Unfortunately, he couldn't do much about it; he was half-buried in a large barrel partially filled with stream-tainted water and geens. Wong was presumably in another barrel, though through his haze, Two couldn't help but feel that he was being strangely quiet.

"Wong?" Two whispered. "You there, man?"

"No."

Two grimaced. "Cute. Look, just stay quiet until we're aboard, okay?"

"I was being quiet. You're the one who's talking."

"I know. I just wanted to-"

"Shh!"

Two had to fight the urge to punch at Wong through the wall of his barrel. Fortunately, the wagon came to a halt a few moments later.

"Evening, Master Claudius." A firm voice called out. "What brings you here?"

There was a rustle of paper. "I was checking my records, and realized I was a little short on the geen shipment."

"Four more, eh?" Someone hit the side of Two's barrel, making him flinch. "It's pretty crowded in there already."

"I'd hate to short change Torneko." Claudius said, sounding a little worried. "He's always paid promptly."

The first voice chuckled. "Don't worry, sir. We'll get 'em in there. Come on boys!"

There was some rustling around him. As his barrel was lifted into the air, Two fervently hoped that Wong wouldn't blow their cover.

He could hold his breath okay to avoid drinking any of the stream-water, but the geens floating at the top of the barrel kept hitting him in the head. He had to bite his lip to keep himself from letting out an 'ow'. Still, he didn't have to deal with it long; whoever was carrying him set him down on a flat surface.

Two wanted to hop out, but Claudius had warned him not to get out of the barrel until he heard the metal door slam shut. He waited patiently, the silence periodically broken by the thump of another barrel being set down.

"Whew! Is that the last of 'em?"

"I think so. Say, you think Claudius'd care if we snagged a geen?"

"Nah. You ask me, he put too many in this batch; some of those must've been packed to the brim."

Two's heart leapt into his throat as hands began fumbling at the top of his barrel.

"BAGAWK!"

"Gah!" Someone dropped something.

Whoever was trying to open Two's cask stopped. "What's wrong?"

"Some kinda bird just pecked me in the ankle!"

His friend chuckled, only to be interrupted by a loud chime.

"Launch window alarm. C'mon, or they'll launch us too."

"All right, all right."

As the footsteps receded into the distance, Two heard the door to the pod slide shut. He pushed up the lid and peered around the pod.

The inside of the pod was fairly uniform. Barrels were stacked to the ceiling everywhere, save for a large wine rack that was firmly bolted to the wall. The hatchway looked extremely secure; there didn't seem to be a handle on the inside, though that wasn't too surprising; it was supposed to be a cargo-only transport.

The pod began to shake. Two's barrel fell over and rolled across the floor, floating geens pelting him on the face until the barrel smashed into the side of the pod, spilling out a load of stream-water, a barrel's worth of slightly bruised geens, and a considerably more bruised Two.

He rose to his feet unsteadily and glanced around for Wong.

"Looks clear, Wong!" He called out, trying to ignore his many aches. "Damn, that was close. I'm guessing you were responsible for the chicken?"

When Wong didn't reply, Two called out, "Wong? You made it in, right?"

One of the barrel lids wobbled slightly.

Rolling his eyes, Two walked over to the barrel. "Come on; enough with the-"

As soon as he lifted the lid, Wong sprung into the air like an over-excited jack-in-the-box, startling Two. "We made it! Catch me!"

Two took a step back and let Wong hit the floor with a loud thud.

"I have to admit." Two said, as Wong got back to his feet, "This was a good plan."

His eyes fell on the wine rack, where one hundred bottles filled with a bright blue liquid waited for some dignitary or wine connoisseur, or perhaps a Dreamer who was feeling a bit thirsty.

"Why hello my little friends!" Two said, a wide grin on his face as he reached for the first bottle.

Wong grabbed his hand and regarded Two with a horrified look on his face. "We can't take the wine! That'd be stealing!"

Two looked at him blankly.

"Stealing is wrong." Wong reminded him.

"Look," Two said, "I'm gonna be stuck in here with you for hours. The way I see it, I've got two options: go nuts or get drunk."

Not waiting for a reply, Two pulled his arm from Wong's grasp and grabbed a bottle. It was secured to the rack, but that didn't pose a problem for a Dreamer. With a snap of his fingers, the cork popped out of the neck of the bottle, ricocheted off of the wall, and bonked Two in the head.

"Oww!" Two clutched his head. "The hell?"

"I told you it was a bad idea." Wong said reproachfully.

Rolling his eyes, Two took a deep swig of the wine. It was extremely sweet going down, but the crystallic kick made his head swim.

"Oh, yeah." He muttered falling back against the curved wall of the transport, "Much better than paint thinner."

Wong sat down beside two, his arms hugging his knees. "So, what now?"

"Now we wait."

"Wanna play a game?"

Two allowed his head to loll to the side. Wong was holding up a dozen handheld gaming units. "Bah. I'm not in the mood."

Wong's face fell, only to perk up again almost instantly. "Say, I've got an idea! We could sing!"

"No …" Two said, horror cutting through the pleasant haze. "You wouldn't!"


	4. Mythical Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikaen's team hitches a ride on the Phoenix.

Forgetit Shae Mschens leaned slightly to her left to correct the tilt of the Phoenix. So far, the prototype airship had functioned beyond her wildest expectations. Well, except for the incident with the automated cook, and the autodoc that tried to cut off Kajex's wings. Her face still burned when she thought of that last one. Still, Kajex and his wings were fine, a fact he had been all too eager to assure her of.

The pilot harness was surprisingly comfortable. She had fashioned it out of the body of a chaser, though in truth the airship could be flown passably without it.

"Adequately flown, and yet lacking in finesse." She murmured to herself, her eyes on the clouds ahead.

"You say something, Shae?"

She deactivated the outside feed so that she was once again staring around the bridge of the Phoenix. Maxim was peering curiously at her.

Maxim Windstar was one of the three children of Thomas and Amalthea Windstar, the rulers of the underwater nation of Jai Vye. Unlike his brothers Mikaen and Tyrn, however, Maxim had no wings. In fact, he barely had a true body; his arms, his legs, and even part of his head had been seamlessly replaced with advanced cybernetics. He looked normal enough, though much of his 'skin' was gray.

"Nothing of true importance." She said, smiling kindly.

Maxim took a seat beside the elaborate piloting mechanism. Shae's ears caught a slight whine coming from one of the servos in his left leg, probably the knee joint. She wasn't surprised; while her father's cybernetics were considered top notch, even the best replacement needed maintenance and a joint replacement every now and then. Still, the whine wasn't that loud, so he probably had a month or two left before needing to repair his leg.

"Something on your mind?" He asked, not unkindly.

She blushed slightly. "I am never having seen one with such extensive augmentation as yourself."

Maxim chuckled. "I dunno; I've heard of a few people who could legally be called robots at this point."

"I am wondering." She asked. "What happened that left you in such a state?"

Maxim leaned back, his metal arms behind his head. "Long story. Kajex and I were kidnapped as kids during Jai Vye's winter cycle. Someone must've spooked the kidnapper, 'cause he dropped me. It took them a few minutes to catch me, but by that point I had severe frostbite and hypothermia."

"Ouch."

Maxim let out a laugh. "Yeah, they had to amputate my arms and legs. Fortunately, your father was in town at the time; he even got me a prototype replacement for the damaged part of my brain."

"Well, I'm having much happiness in the knowledge that my father was able to provide you so much assistance."

"Same here." Maxim scratched an itch beneath the white-half of his hair. "So, how much longer until we see them?"

"Shouldn't be long." Shae reactivated the outside feed. After scanning across the tranquil ocean for a moments, she spotted the simmersill on the horizon. "Speaking about which. Maxim, could you be providing-"

Maxim's voice abruptly rang through the ship. "Attention everyone; get ready for a bit of a slowdown."

Shae smiled, her eyes still seeing the outside feed. "Many thanks."

"I have much happiness in the knowledge that I could help." He replied, no doubt with a grin. "I'm gonna go check on Lya; I get the impression she's not much for flying."

Shae wasn't surprised. Maxim's wife Lya was vyan, after all; it didn't take much imagination to understand why a naturally aquatic species wouldn't care for flight.

As they drew near the stranded simmersill, Shae began to bring the Phoenix down. She squinted at the main deck of the water transport; to her knowledge (and her attention to detail was fairly reliable), there had been only five members of the team that went to Ronisgald: the sentient knight Mikaen, Jeronem Thistlethorn, the Cygros's son Jek Cressia, and the Myssohn sisters. As she looked at the simmersill, however, she counted at least ten people milling about on the top deck.

She shook her head, inadvertently making the ship wobble a little.

"Oops." She murmured. She considered calling security, but decided against it as no one seemed to be under duress, save the sentient with black wings secured on the medical stretcher.

Once they were over the simmersill, Shae set the ship to hover and deactivated the controls. She pulled off her flight helmet and took a deep breath. "Performance seems to be well within projected parameters. Lift and push seem fine, power more than adequate. Annabelle!"

A Rimstakken woman barely out of her teens hopped to attention nervously. "Guildmaster Mschens!"

"Desist in the being formality. We are having been friends for years." She said, giving her a kind smile. "I require you to be assuming primary operations while I properly am greeting our new arrivals."

"A-affirmative, Guildmaster … I am meaning, Miss Shae."

Shae hopped off of the modified chaser and started toward the door. Unfortunately, the prolonged flight had left her legs slightly numb, making her stagger forward.

"Miss Shae!" Annabelle exclaimed hurrying forward to catch her, only to be beaten to the task by a winged man with a handsome face framed with blonde hair that was white at the tips.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concern evident in his hazel eyes.

"Oh, much giving of thanks to you! I am needing to come up with an acceptable solution to the numbing of limbs during travel." Her mind instantly jumped to several possible solutions, including electrical stimulation. She could rig up a series of very slight electrical charges in the leg rests to keep her muscles from going numb over long periods, similar to the electric hair band she used when her teachers were being particularly dull.

Kajex helped her as she stamped the feeling back into her feet, her mind already drawing schematics. "I would need a miniaturized version of the common stream converter, and a sensitive controlling mechanism to keep the electricity within safe levels."

"Are you having injury?" Annabelle asked anxiously.

"Please proceed with assuming control, Ann." Shae told her in a firm voice. "Leave the tertiary adjunct control available, in the eventuality that position modification is necessary."

His cheeks flushed, Annabelle hopped onto the Chaser and slipped the helmet over her eyes. The ship shuddered ever so slightly as she assumed control.

"Well," Shae said, clapping her hands together once she could feel her legs again, "I am having the intention of greeting our companions of the Council. Would you care to accompany my presence?"

"I'd be happy to." He stepped aside so Shae could enter the lift first.

Kajex stepped in after her, his broad white wings practically filling the chamber.

"Docking bay, if you please." Shae said.

The lift began moving instantly.

As the lift began to move, Shae glanced up at the sentient prince's face only to find him pointedly looking away.

"Is something being wrong?" She asked curiously.

He let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm not really comfortable around people."

"We are being of the same mind." Shae replied. "In my workshop of home, I do not like having much interruption. People are … bringing much distraction."

"I can understand that. I hate when people barge in on me when I'm painting."

Shae raised an eyebrow at Kajex. "You are an artisan?"

Kajex blushed. "Not really; I just paint for fun, mostly."

"Still," Shae persisted, "Such a hobby most often is being responsible for breeding talent. I'd enjoy perceiving the fruits of your labor."

Kajex's cheeks went an even deeper shade of red. It made Shae smile; usually men only acted that way around her friends.

The elevator let out a ding to inform them that they had reached their destination. Kajex stood aside so Shae could pass before following after her.

"What's your take on Mikaen?" Kajex asked curiously.

"You are having met the man. What perceptions have you discovered?"

"I only spoke with him for a few seconds. Still, he definitely had the air of authority around him. Dad's the same way; you know just by talking to him that he's a guy that gets things done."

"Very fascinating. Even more so when one is considering his relationship affection toward Daughter Tirinia."

"Not really." Kajex replied, "She's got the strength about her too. She may act shy, but she's definitely just as much a fighter as her sister."

Shae tapped at her wrist computer for a moment to make sure Annabelle was still handling the ship okay. Not for the last time, she wished she had been able to grab more crew members before departing Rimstak.

The cargo bay was mostly empty, save for one of the few members of the current Phoenix Crew preparing to lower the docking ramp. The docking ramp began to lower, releasing a warm humid breeze that blew past Shae and Kajex.

The simmersill was directly beneath them. The distance between the ramp and the simmersill was too great for any but Mikaen to reach. Fortunately, Shae had accounted for just such an eventuality by building basic control functions into the computer mounted on her arm. It wasn't as precise as her modified Chaser seat on the Bridge, but it was enough for basic control.

"Annabelle, I am taking temporary control." She said as she activated her computer.

"Affirmative."

She slowly guided the ship down until the ramp was only a foot or so away from the deck of the simmersill. As the people boarded, she soon found herself staring at someone vaguely familiar.

One grinned. "Miss me?"

"Are we having met?"

"He's a Dreamer." Kajex said, his voice sounding slightly stiff. "Narrator Number One, right?"

"Of course! You were being present in the tent with us." Shae said. "Then at a future time at the Council. You are truly being a Dreamer?"

"Yes, I'm a Dreamer." One said with the tell-tale hesitation of someone not accustomed to speaking with Rimstakkens. "One sec."

One hopped back onto the simmersill and helped a large Galden man carry the stretcher with the black-winged sentient on board.

"Who is that?" Kajex asked.

One said, "The big guy's Kevin Jures, son of the former Triumvate and Lieutenant of the Ronisgad Security Force."

"Probably former on that one too." Kevin said as he passed Kajex.

"The guy on the stretcher is Almaec." One continued, "I don't know what he is."

Mikaen climbed on board after One and Kevin, Tirinia watching him like a mother cat. His face was a little pale, but he was walking fine on his own. "We found him injured in Ronisgald."

Shae glanced at the unconscious man's black wings curiously. "Why is he being strapped down?"

Teria stepped on board next, a smirk on her face. "Apparently he turns into a big bad monster when he gets cranky."

"Go ahead and laugh." One said, looking annoyed. "I'm telling you, something's wrong with him."

"Black wings." Kajex whispered, his brow furrowed. "I know I've read about that somewhere before."

Shae waited for a few moments for him to finish his thought before asking, "Could you be leading this group to the medical bay?"

"Sure thing. Come on, you two." Kajex waved One and Kevin forward and led them into the ship.

"Aye, sir." One muttered, getting a chuckle from Kevin as they carried the stretcher into the lift.

Shae glanced at her controls again to make sure the Phoenix wasn't starting to drift. "So, Mikaen, did your intended mission meet with maximum success? Were you having found the proof of outside involvement?"

"You mean the Revs." Mikaen said, a grim look on his face. "Yes, we found plenty of evidence about them."

Jeronem stepped on board, his eyes wide as he looked around the cargo bay. "Wow! What a ship!"

Shae suppressed her smile. "The Phoenix is the ultimate paragon in airship design technology. Once the final subsystems are integrated into the framework of this airship, she will be having the capability of reaching the moons and returning."

Jeronem seemed impressed. "Space travel, huh?"

"Not truly." Shae admitted. "The Phoenix is only having been designed for the small-distance voyages. Prolonged exposure to a complete encompassing vacuum is not advised."

Jek was the next to hop aboard, followed with a nervous Galden wearing ancient clothes who looked at Shae the same way she looked at devices she thought might explode. She flashed him a friendly smile, but he didn't relax at all.

"Is that being everyone?" Shae asked, the final person to climb on board, a Galden woman with the dark skin of an idestan.

Teria nodded, but the nervous Galden man asked, "What about Suzette?"

"Suzette?"

"The simmersill's medical android."

"Get serious!" said Jek, "No Rimstakken would let you bring a robot on board."

"Robot?" Shae asked, a slight note of eagerness in her voice. "In fact, I am wanting very much to observe this robot."

Teria sighed and set her pack on the ground. After she unfastened the top button, a small robot no taller than Shae's knee rose out of it.

Flashing an apologetic smile at Shae, Teria said, "I wasn't going to just leave her behind. I know how most Rimstakkens feel about anthro-bots."

"It is perfectly acceptable." Shae said, her eyes on the small android. "I am not believing in harboring irrationality at any product of scientific endeavor."

The little robot curtseyed respectfully to Shae. "I'm at your service, ma'am."

Shae knelt down before the small robot, fascinated. Most robots she examined were extremely clunky, not useful for anything than simple tasks. Suzette, on the other hand seemed quite advanced; her movements were fulyl articulated, her face emotive (if a bit simple), and there was genuine inflection in her voice. The only artificial beings she had ever seen even of similar complexity were the core units occasionally pulled from ancient Glyche ruins.

"You are having filled me with amazement!" Shae said, still looking over the little android. "You are possessing an independent artificial intelligence, indeed?"

"Yes ma'am." Suzette replied, her metal cheeks even reddening ever so slightly. "My creator used a mental imprint of his daughter."

Shae realized that Suzette must be some kind of prototype; if Ronisgald had perfected robotics to that level, the Suzette model would be on the market already.

"She's a medical android." Benjamin commented. "She was able to fix up Almaec's wounds and keep him unconscious."

Now Shae was really interested in the cute little bot. "If you are wishing to come with us, your presence will be accepted gladly, as I am in need of a functional doctor. The autodoc currently installed has proven … problematic."

Suzette beamed at Shae, happiness in her glowing blue eyes. "Thank you, Miss Shae! I will endeavor to function to your satisfaction!"

"I'm certain you will be doing so. Allow me to be showing you directly to the medical bay then." Shae started toward the elevator, her mind already running over various tests and scans she would do of Suzette; non-harmful, of course. It's impolite to dissect someone to whom you've been introduced.

Suzette slipped her small hand into Shae's and hovered along beside her, humming happily to herself as the docking ramp rose back into place behind them. They took the lift up a few decks and walked to the medical bay, chatting along the way; Suzette was very curious about the ship, and Shae was only too glad to tell her about it.

One glanced up as Suzette and Shae entered the Sick Bay. "Ah, Suzy! I'm sorry, with all the excitement, I completely forgot about you!"

"It's okay!" she said, zooming through the air to hover over Almaec. "Shae said I can be the Phoenix's auto-doc!"

"Really?" One asked, raising an eyebrow at Shae. "I thought Rimstakkens hated actual robots."

"Many do. It is being difficult to forget the after-effects of the Glyche when new corrupted units are occasionally being found." Shae glanced at the Sick Bay's current autodoc, a trolley with six bulky robotic arms. It wasn't even truly a robot; it was trained to run various pre-programmed procedures. The thought of being treated by it was far from comforting. "However, Suzette is clearly not of Glyche make, and will be a considerable improvement to this vessel's current medical provider."

"People can't complain when you're the one sewing them up, eh?" One said, winking at Suzette.

"Right!" Suzette said with a giggle. "So, are we still keeping Almaec unconscious?"

One nodded. "Trust me; until we figure out what he is, we're better off with him asleep."

"Perhaps we can ascertain his origins. Suzette, could you be providing a full-body scan?" Shae asked, eager to see Suzette perform.

"Of course, Miss Shae!" Suzette floated over Almaec's body. A blue beam of light shot from her small hands, creating a soft blue field that encompassed Almaec. "Bone structure intact. Organs intact; nervous system uncompromised. He is in perfect condition by Galden standards, though most Galdens don't have wings."

"Are his wings okay?" One asked.

Suzette made another sweep, focusing on Almaec's wings this time. "I don't have any data on sentients other than that I've received from Mikaen. Based on that, however, Almaec's wings seem fully formed and functional."

Shae stood next to One. As fascinated as she was by Suzette, she couldn't help but start poking at Headache. He didn't seem to notice until she made the cover of the rivet driver recess.

"I beg your pardon?" One asked indignantly, pulling Headache away.

She blushed. "I am in much apologetic mood, One. I merely an enabling curiosity at your devices. At a later occasion, might you be allowing myself the privilege of examination of your creation?"

"Huh? Oh, well, if you wanted to take a look, you should've just said so." One straightened his right arm and pulled off his right Headache module.

As Shae reached for the unit, a voice from behind her warned, "Don't try to put it on, Shae; Headache'll break the arm of unregistered users."

"Right." One said, nodding at Teria as she entered the sick bay. "Safety feature."

"Hmm." Said Teria, "Y'know, usually safety features prevent accidents."

"I will be having cautiousness." Shae took the unit. It was a little on the heavy side, but nothing she couldn't handle.

She was just about to ask if One minded her doing a detailed scan on Headache when her arm computer beeped. With a sigh, she handed back Headache before tapping her display. "What is it, Annabelle?"

"I am in the process of contemplating your return to the bridge."

"Right. I will arrive on the bridge with minor delays." Shae glanced at Teria and One. "Could I be asking for your presence and assistance? The crew of the Phoenix is having much deficiency."

"Sure." One said, sliding Headache over his bare arm. "Anything I can do to help."

Teria nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I mean seeing as you just saved our asses."

Smiling at Teria, Shae said, "And I would be missing the opportunity to repay my old companion and friend? The odds are not favorable."

Teria laughed, but One looked a little uncomfortable.

"Don't worry." Teria told him, patting his hand. "That was after our time."

"Oh." He said, feeling relieved. Shae couldn't help but notice Teria's hand linger for just a moment on his hand. Deciding it was none of her business, Shae led One and Teria through the corridors of the Phoenix.

Shae was really pleased with the way the corridors turned out; the angular, egg-like shape was really eye pleasing, especially with the warm interior lighting. The dark finish on the wood paneling was a particularly nice touch.

A few of the doors along the corridor opened as they passed. Shae made a mental note of each. "Over-sensitivity might be an issue. The opening weight sensor should only be triggered if someone stands directly in front of the door."

"Crew quarters?" Teria asked, peeking into one of the rooms.

Shae nodded. "Indeed. Most have already being supplied with furniture. If you are needing rest, feel free to-"

A shudder ran through the ship.

Steadying himself against the wall, Teria asked, "What in Nocturnes was that?"

"I am not knowing." Shae replied, puzzled. Accessing her wrist computer, she asked, "Annabelle, what has occurred?"

"Annabelle's busy." Kajex's voice replied, his voice tense. "We're under attack!"


	5. Turbulence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One, Mikaen, and Maxim, as the lone carriers of long-range weaponry, end up on deck trying to fend off an air-attack.

Shae squeezed through the lift doors before they fully slid open. One and Teria following behind her. She handed One the UBT before hurrying over to a panicked Annabelle.

"What is having happened?" She said, moving to relieve Annabelle.

Annabelle was only too eager to hand over the flight helmet. "Fifteen unfriendly craft are having closed in on our location. They were appearing out of the nether!"

Shae quickly replaced Annabelle on the chaser, not bothering with the safety straps. As soon as she called up a radar scan on the pilot's helmet interface, she swerved the ship sharply to the right.

The inertia dampeners were a fickle technology; if everything is normal, they work fine. If, say, a large airship built for traveling through space has to make a sudden turn, the dampeners will only compensate so much.

Shae held the chaser handles with all her strength as the bridge tilted to the side along with the rest of the ship, sending everyone not strapped into a chair or clinging to a chaser hurtling across the deck.

Unfortunately, Shae couldn't pay any attention to them; fifteen small vessels were closing in on them. The pursuing crafts were sleek, black, and armed with some sort of projectile turrets.

"One! We are not being equipped with offensive armaments!" Shae exclaimed.

"I'm on it." As soon as the deck was level again, One hurried onto the elevator and said, "Upper deck!"

"One! Don't-" Teria's voice fell as the doors slid shut. Rolling her eyes, she muttered, "Yeah, that's about right."

"I am certain of his well-being." Shae said as she prepared for another maneuver. "He is being a Dreamer, after all."

One checked Headache as his impulse harness activated. Fortunately, he had managed to appropriate enough rivets from the simmersill to fill his clips, and his energy levels were at full charge. More than that, he was ready for some action; even without his powers, he felt more than ready to take on whatever was attacking the Phoenix.

Tapping the side of his impulse visor, One said, "Shae? Shae, can you hear me?"

After a few attempts, the visor tuned in to the Phoenix's frequency. Shae's voice responded, "Affirmative. If your foot equipment has magnetic functionality, I suggest you use it; the main deck's air shield is only partially functional at the moment."

"Got it." One said, activating the appropriate function with the visor interface. His shoes clamped to the floor of the lift, leaving him feeling secure, if somewhat stiff.

As the lift doors opened, a sleek black vessel that looked like a wide, flat 'V' flew overhead, filling the air with a shrill whine. One recognized them only too well.

"Gulls." One muttered as he struggled to walk forward. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

The Gull came around and hovered above the deck, just out of reach of One's tech boots. The pilot's voice boomed, "Surrender!"

One laughed. "That's it? Surrender? You aren't going to make some speech about this being your airspace or some other bull?"

A few bullets from the gull's machine guns hit the deck only a few feet away from One, making him reflexively step back.

"Surrender or be destroyed!"

"Big words from a dead bird." One lifted Headache and opened fire.

The thick rivets punched through the gull easily; in a matter of moments, it fell to the deck in a smoking heap. It would've crushed One if he hadn't the presence of mind to throw himself out of the way.

"One!" Teria said, her voice coming from the visor's radio, "What in Nocturnes is going on up there?"

"A Rev Gull just crashed into the deck. Don't worry; it wasn't that far to begin with."

"Shae says it's messing with the balance of the Phoenix. Can you do something about it?"

"I'm fine." One said sarcastically as he pushed himself off the ground. "Thanks for asking."

"You'd better be. Listen, don't get carried away up there, okay?"

One laughed. "Carried away? Me? Probably not a problem."

Her groan was his only answer. Shaking his head, he made his way to the damaged gull. He grabbed it by the wing and tugged the craft toward the deck side. The pilot inside looked at him with wide eyes.

"You got a parachute?" One asked, his brow furrowed with the effort needed to move the broken ship. The pilot nodded, still stricken with terror.

"Good." One lifted the gull with a groan and tossed it over the deck railing.

One felt pleased with himself until his eyes fell on a series of black shapes in the distance. If he didn't know better, he would've thought it was a flock of seagulls.

He was just about to take aim at them when the lift doors opened. "One!"

One looked back and grinned. "Mikaen! Glad you could join the party."

"Can't let you have all the fun, can I?" His wings bound to prevent him from being carried away, Mikaen hurried across the deck with Truth tucked under his arm like a shotgun, amplifier poised to fire.

One felt relieved; Mikaen was a powerful energist. Between the two of them, they had a good chance of fending off the Rev assault.

"Gulls, huh?" He said as he took a position beside One.

One nodded. "Should've figured they brought a few with them. Can't fault them for attacking; we did just seriously screw up their plans."

"Think they were combing the ocean for us?"

"Maybe. Ah, whatever; they're the bad guys." One said, raising Headache. "We're the good guys. Can't fault them for following the natural order."

Mikaen chuckled. "Good point. You good to go?"

"Always."

"Bad news." Teria supplied via intercom. "We've got bigger ships incoming. If I'm reading the sensors right, there are five of them. One, they're launching more ships."

"This gets better and better." Shaking his head, One said, "All right; Shae, can this thing go any faster?"

"Negative. We are at maximum movement velocity."

"Okay. Where are we at the moment?"

"We are currently being present above the Cleftan Region."

One clapped his metal hands together. "Perfect! Bring us down, Shae!"

There were several gasps from the intercom. "The Cleftan Region is-"

"-dangerous, yes, I know. The constantly changing weather patterns and the shifting terrain make it extremely hazardous to fly through, which is why I have complete confidence that you'll bring us through it in one piece."

"A-affirmative."

As the Phoenix pulled into a dive, Mikaen asked, "Are you really sure?"

"Let me put it this way." One said, grabbing the hand rail as the wind grew stronger, "What choice do we have? Better to be positive, that's what I say."

"The intercom is still being active, One."

One blushed. "Oops."

The Phoenix dove beneath the clouds. Mikaen made it through dry, but One got a face-full of cloud that left his head sopping wet. The cold of the rushing wind bit into his wet face as he hurriedly tried to dry his face off with the edge of his shirt.

Once reasonably dry, One found himself staring out over the chaotic landscape of the Cleftan Region. Mountains rose and fell in the distance while below them grassy hills became forests, then shifted to barren wastelands all in the span of minutes. The air felt strangely heavy; it was humid, but there was something else, a feeling of weight in the air that seemed to press heavily against One's chest.

Rain pelted the deck for a few moments, followed by a light hail with scattered lightning. None of the bolts seemed to hit the ship, thankfully, but the sound was almost deafening.

One turned back to see that the gulls were following, but not the transports.

"That's one problem taken care of." One said. "Shae, let's take a-"

He intended to suggest they take a detour; if they changed their heading enough, there was a good possibility that the transports would lose track of them altogether. Unfortunately, One didn't count on the mountain suddenly popping up beside them.

The Phoenix tilted sharply to the right, just barely passing by the rocky surface on the mountain. As the ship righted itself, One slowly released his death-clutch on the rail.

"What the hell is this place?" Mikaen asked, staring back at the mountain.

"The Cleftan Region. The area's in a constant state of severe stream flux. The landscape and weather are always changing." One paused as the Phoenix tilted to avoid a rapidly growing tree. "It should get at least a little better once it recognizes our flux patterns."

"What?"

"It's only this crazy where there aren't people. Oh, it's never completely predictable, but Cleftan settlements are at least somewhat stable. Just remember to brink a parka and suntan oil if you visit."

They were in a wide valley at the moment; mountains seemed to spring up around them, creating a valley that seemed directly beneath the valley.

One let out a sigh. "Thank the Creator."

A burst of machine gun fire cut his break short.

"Goddammit!" One shouted, spinning about and firing reflexively at the nearest gulls. The thick rivets tore through one of the gull's right wing, sending it into a downward spiral.

Every hair on One's body stood on edge as a massive blast of electricity shot from Mikaen's amplifier and blasted one of their pursuers into a charred hunk of scrap metal.

"Hold on to something!" Shae called out through the intercom.

One and Mikaen barely had time to grab the nearest rail before the ship made a sharp turn into a narrow canyon.

"Uh, Shae?" One asked, eyeing the canyon walls, "Is the Phoenix cleared for this kind of maneuvering?"

"There is being only a single method of deducing that functionality."

The ship swerved right into another canyon, narrowly avoiding an overhanging arm of rock. An explosion behind them signaled that another gull had gone down, but there was still a fair-sized swarm behind them.

One tried to pick them off, but the dark clouds that seemed to be following the Phoenix made it difficult to pick out the black gulls.

Fortunately, Mikaen's energist skill didn't require a clear target; just a target. He took three gulls down with a single burst of lightning that bounced from gull to gull.

One and Mikaen both turned at the sound of the lift doors opening. Maxim stood inside, his arm quickly reconfiguring into an energy cannon. "Need a little reinforcement?"

"Couldn't hurt." One said before letting loose another round of rivets.

With his other hand, Maxim tossed One two lengths of rope. "Electric storms might interfere with your magnetic fields. Shae says you might want to tie yourself off before you get swept away."

"Good idea." Mikaen fastened one end of his rope around his waist, the other on the railing.

One tied himself as well. "How many of them behind us, Teria?"

"The scanners are fritzing because of the weather, but I think there are only ten-"

Another explosion sounded behind them as a gull smashed into a rapidly forming cliff.

"Er, nine left." Teria finished.

The canyon opened up into a wide plain, in the center of which was a massive crater. Glowing stones of all shapes and sizes circled in the air above the crater, some at a snail's pace while others raced around like small meteors. They had reached the Heart of the Cleftan Region.

Whatever caused the state of the continent was almost certainly connected to the Heart, where the land was so unstable, it couldn't even stop long enough to form a biome. This would deter most who were daring or insane enough to fly through the heart. To be fair, though, most didn't have a Dreamer on deck goading them ahead.

"Shae!" One called out over the sound of Mikaen and Maxim blasting away at the gulls, "Go straight!"

"That is being suicide!"

"Shae, if we don't get rid of the gulls, we're dead! Mikaen, Maxim, and I can take 'em, but not before they blast up your airship!"

One fired the rest of his clip at the approaching group, but only managed to bring two of the gulls down. The rest were close now, their shrill shrieks cutting through the air and giving One a nasty headache.

"Shae!" One shouted over the noise, "Do it, or we're dead!"

The Phoenix shot forward with surprising force. It was all One could do to hold onto the railing; he thanked whoever might be listening that he had Headache and Shae's safety rope, otherwise he'd surely have been blown away.

Though the gulls were smaller, the forces around the Heart seemed to affect the Rev ships much more than the Phoenix. Those that managed to maintain their pursuit were forced to follow in the Phoenix's wake, which left them vulnerable to the same flying hunks of rock that the Phoenix was trying to avoid, as well as the attention of One, Mikaen, and Maxim.

Explosions rocketed behind them as the gulls were systematically destroyed by the mid-air turbulence, flying debris, and the occasional blast from Maxim and Mikaen until none remained.

"Shae!" One shouted, "They're gone! Get us outta here!"

"Affirmative!"

One breathed a sigh of relief as the Phoenix rose away from the Heart.

"Good call, man." Maxim said, patting One on the arm. One nodded wordlessly. As he slumped against the rail, Teria asked, "You okay up there? Tirinia's practically frantic down here."

"We're all fine." One said, nodding at Mikaen and Maxim. "Any sign of pursuit?"

"Not a thing. The sensors are still a bit scrambled, but it looks like we're in the clear."

"Thank the Creator." One said as he slammed fresh rivet clips into Headache.

One winced at the bright light of the two suns as the Phoenix burst from the perpetual cloud that hung over the Cleftan Region. As he raised his hand to shield his eyes, his jaw dropped. A fleet of gulls and transports were directly ahead.

There were well over a hundred ships heading straight for the Phoenix, but it was the sudden stop that nearly sent him flying off the deck that brought his exclamation.

"One!" Shae called through the intercom. "What would you recommend?"

One didn't know what to say; he had no idea what to do; Mikaen was already looking pale, the energy indicator on Maxim's arm was at less than a quarter, and One was down to his last few clips. Fighting their way through wasn't going to be an option … at least, not a favorable one.

"This'd be a good time for some Dreamer magic." Maxim suggested pointedly.

One didn't reply. His rune had felt dead since Ronisgald, but he didn't want to go broadcasting his lack of power to everyone.

The gulls were soon swarming around the Phoenix. The shrill sound of the gull engines made One's hair stand on end. Strangely, however, the gulls didn't open fire.

"What are they waiting for?" Maxim asked, his blaster arm twitching as he watched the circling gulls.

"One!" Teria called out though One's visor, "They're calling for our immediate surrender."

One and Mikaen exchanged glances for a moment before bursting into laughter. Maxim stared at them, the faint smile of one who wasn't in on the joke on his face.

"This is serious!" Teria snapped, "They're threatening to destroy the Phoenix!"

"Hook the intercom into the communications systems." One told her. "I think I want to have a chat with these guys."

"You're going to piss them off, aren't you?"

Mikaen and Maxim both raised their eyebrows as One replied, "Now Teria; does that sound like something I'd do?"

"Yes." She said without a moment's hesitation.

"Fair enough." One said, "But this isn't just me here; I don't want any of you to get hurt either. I'll try to behave, I promise."

"It's the 'try' part that worries me." With a resigned sigh, she said, "Okay, fine. Give me a sec."

The radio crackled for a few moments, presumably while Teria connected the systems.

"… repeat, slow your approach and prepare to be boarded immediately. Any offensive action-"

"Hello?" One tapped the tiny grill covering the microphone on his visor "This thing on?"

"Are you prepared to surrender?"

One snorted loudly. "Yeah, right. I was never much for that whole 'go peacefully into that gentle night' thing."

"If you do not surrender, we will be forced to open fire."

"Mmm … no, you're not."

The radio was silent for a moment. "I repeat, if you do not surrender-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've got three reasons you won't open fire on us. One, the international backlash to the deaths of over half the council representatives would put a swift end to anything you morons might be planning. Two, you couldn't bear destroying a beautiful piece of work like the Phoenix; I know how much you Revs love fancy machines. Then there's three."

"And?" The voice asked impatiently after One didn't continue for a few moments.

"Nothing, really." One admitted. "I just thought it'd be really cool if one of your ships happened to explode when I said that."

The main transport abruptly exploded in a fiery cloud of shrapnel. One's jaw fell slack as what was left of the ship plummeted toward the ocean.

Maxim gave One a light punch on the shoulder. "See? That's what I'm talkin' about!"

"It wasn't me!" One said, still surprised.

Another transport exploded. This time, One saw the missiles before they hit. Turning to look behind the Phoenix, he was even more stunned to see another fleet of ships closing in on them.

Some were small; probably modified floaters. Others were airships of various makes, including the classic propeller design. Everything flew the same flag, though; purple wings against a gold background.

"It's the Saints!" Maxim exclaimed.

One jerked his head back, saying, "What?"

"The Saints! The Strand Saints! They're … well, pirates to put it bluntly. Troublemakers."

"I like 'em already." One cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Way to go, Saints!"

One, Mikaen, and Maxim exchanged glances as the gulls began to pull away from the Phoenix to engage the pirate fleet.

"Now!" It wasn't clear who actually shouted, but all three immediately began their assault on the remaining gulls. Soon, the air was filled with flying rivets, lightning blasts, fireballs, and plasma bursts.

"Get us outta here, Shae!" One called out as he fired the last of his rivets.

The Phoenix shot forward immediately, smashing several gulls in its way. The rest of the Rev squadron moved to follow, and were in turn followed by the pirate fleet. Several of the large transports had already been boarded, their crews unceremoniously tossed from open fighter bays into the distant ocean.

It was a wild flight, with gulls exploding all around the Phoenix as it pulled ahead of the chase. The pirates were tearing apart the Rev offensive quite efficiently; as laughable as the ship with the large propellers may have appeared, its crew was by far the most destructive.

The pirate ships slowly began to fall back to concentrate on the remaining transports, unfortunately leaving many of the gulls to pursue the Phoenix.

Machine gun fire cut across the deck uncomfortably close to One. Mikaen managed to bring up a shield around the fighters on deck, but his face was almost white. It was clear to One that his knight friend didn't have much left in him.

"Get back to the lift." One said. "Maxim, you go with him; I'll take care of the rest."

"I can still-"

"No, you can't. Leave the gulls to me."

"You sure?" Maxim asked, flinching momentarily as another burst of machine gun fire peppered the deck.

"Yeah, I got this."

As Maxim helped Mikaen into the lift, One deactivated his tek-boot's magnetic grips and pulled his tether free from the rail. Free of the Phoenix One ran to the back of the deck, the rush of air making him cross the deck even faster.

With a wild shout, One leapt from the deck of the Phoenix and landed on one of the gulls. A normal man would have been smashed into a fine paste. Then again, most men didn't have Impulse exoskeletons. One's tek-boots remagnetized, giving him more than enough purchase to grab the cockpit cover and tear it open.

A terrified Rev stared back at him, his mouth agape.

"Hey, fella. You got a parachute?" One asked curiously.

The Rev nodded, still speechless.

"Nice to see you lot adhering to safety standards." One yanked the Rev from the cockpit and tossed him over the side.

One plopped down in the now-empty seat and clamped the cockpit cover shut. It whistled maddeningly with the rushing wind, but at least it blocked out most of the high-pitched whine of the gull engine. He looked over the controls for a few moments before finding and activating the communication system.

"Hey there!" One said as he took control of the craft. "One here. Everything still okay?"

"One!" Teria's voice asked, the channel breaking up slightly. "Where are you?"

"It's cool, Teria. I hijacked of one gulls."

"You ... wait, you jumped off the main deck of the Phoenix onto a moving plane? Are you crazy?"

One chuckled. "Apparently. Listen, I'm going to try and draw off the rest of the group, so tell Shae-"

"You can fly that thing?"

"Oh, please. I put dozens of these things together back in the Rangers. Who do ya think the Revs stole them from? Now tell Shae I need her to go into a dive!"

After a few moments, the Phoenix fell into a steep dive. The squadron of gulls followed after, One slowly catching up from behind. Seven gulls were lined up before him, none the wiser.

Once the first ship was in his sights, he let loose a burst of plasma fire. His aim was true; the energy blasts tore through the ship, turning it into a ball of fire and metal. One didn't pause to gloat; if the sensors in his gull registered the hit, it was only a matter of time before the other Revs realized what was happening.

One fired wildly into their midst. He managed to blast the wing off one gull and caught the left engine of one, sending it careening away. The remaining Revs pulled away, no doubt realizing they were practically lined up like ducks.

"Time to clean house." One said as he locked his targeting sensors on one of the fleeing ships and opened fire.

The gull dodged out of the way and spun about faster that One thought possible of a gull. With a yelp, One pulled up on the controls and sent his ship into a steep climb, narrowly avoiding a spray of bullets. One's sensors warned that the other gull was trying to establish a targeting lock on him.

"We'll see about that." One muttered, quickly pushing the craft into a wild dive.

The Crazy Ivan is one of the few aerial maneuvers One knew; the idea is to feign malfunction and lull the enemy into a false sense of security. The trick is being able to pull out in time.

"One! Pull up!" Teria shouted through the radio as One's gull drew near the ocean.

"In a minute!" The Myriad Abyss swung erratically in One's view. Mere feet away, he pulled up and found himself heading straight for the enemy gull.

He reacted instantly. Machine gun fire engulfed the enemy Rev, turning it into a fiery ball of scrap metal that was still headed right for him.

With a yelp, One tried to pull away. Something hit his right wing with enough force to rattle the ship. Warning screens popped up all over his console, detailing severe damage to the right wing.

Realizing that he had no choice but to land, he steered the craft to the only land nearby, a large island a little ways off the shore of the Cleftan Region.

"Slight change in plans." One said as he struggled to keep the ship in the air, "I'm going to be making an emergency landing."

"We're coming back around for you!" Teria said.

"No, you're not. The pirates and the gulls are still fighting, and as much as I appreciate the save, I'm not sure the Saints aren't just eliminating competition so that they can have the Phoenix all to themselves. The sooner you get back to idestan airspace, the safer you'll be."

"We can't just leave you!"

With a shudder, One's engine died. The sudden silence was eerily disturbing.

"I just lost power." One said, trying to fight the impulse to scream as the gull began to plummet. "Look, I'll be fine. Ya'll get to the-"

One's eyes went wide; his gull was moments away from crashing into a slab of rock. He smashed the cockpit open and leapt out of the gull. With a wild swing, he shot Headache's grapple at the branch of a passing tree and swung away from the gull before it crashed into the outcropping with a loud explosion.

A loud snap made One's head jerk around; the tree he grappled was old and rotting; it was strong enough to let him swing around a little and slow his velocity, but his full weight plus the speed he was traveling was more enough to snap it.

One's momentum carried him into the tropical forest, his grapple and the branch it was attached to trailing behind him as he hit the ground and skidded along the dry sandy dirt until he finally came to a halt.

After a few moments, he shakily rose to his feet. The makeshift exoskeleton of his gear had prevented him from breaking any bones, but he still felt like he had just taken a spin in a tumble dryer.

He watched as the Phoenix faded into the distance. No gulls or pirates were following them.

With a sigh of relief, he activated his radio and said, "This is One; I just wanted to let you know I landed okay."

There was no response. One frowned; even if they were out of communication range, there should have been static on the line. The only reason there wouldn't be static is if his transmission was being jammed.

Several floaters shot overhead, but it was clear from their speed that they were preparing to land.

"Dude, that's weak!" he shouted in the direction of the Saint vessels.

Still disoriented by his landing, One staggered away from the floaters and toward the relative safety of the trees only to be cut off as several tigreths wearing little more than black bikinis and short skirts. One was impressed despite his situation; he hadn't even heard them approach.

"Easy there, Galden." Purred one of the tigreth women. "Stay your hand if you want to be breathing tomorrow. The boss wants a word with you."

One's head was still spinning, but he lifted his arms to fight anyway.

"Fooly Cooly."

Headache deactivated instantly, leaving One wielding nothing more than two massive hunks of metal.

"The hell?" He said, stumbling as he backed away. "How did you-"

"-Know Headache's kill switch?" asked an eerily familiar voice. "Simple; I told them."

Another pirate stepped from the woods, but this one didn't have fur. She smiled at him as she approached, pausing only to flick a strand of her light blue hair out of her eyes.

"I shoulda known you wouldn't come without a fight." She said, a crooked smile on her face. "Long time, no see."

One's mouth fell agape. Before he could respond, she blew a puff of crimson dust into his face. He barely had time to register that it was sleep dust before the world went black.


	6. Bureaucracy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikaen is surprised by a visit from his soon-to-be in-laws, then even more so by Jyle.

The Phoenix was easily the largest airship in the docking bay. That wasn't the only thing that made it stick out, though; idestan ships were usually pristine, with their white hulls and lavishly carved figureheads. They were gentle crafts, designed to float beautifully through the sky while being aesthetically pleasing to those within and without.

In comparison, the Phoenix was a large craft whose very design bespoke power. While no fancy carvings or decorations lined the hull, the engines mounted on the wings coupled with the massive drive on the central hull suggested a potential for speed of which most craft could only dream.

As the ship began docking procedures, those within began to gather near the primary airlock. Mikaen was still a little dizzy from using so much energy to defend the Phoenix, but he felt secure enough to stand without Tirinia holding him up. He didn't say as much to her, of course; her warmth against his side was comforting.

"I'll make you warmer tonight." She promised, the whisper of her voice sending thoughts of love and pleasure through his mind.

The ship shuddered as the docking clamps locked into place. The main hatch slid open to reveal Mikaen's old friend and Cygros of Ircandesta, Jyle Cressia. He wasn't alone; a tigreth man with a graying mane and an attractive tigreth woman with worry-lines on her face were standing beside him.

Tirinia slipped from Mikaen and met them halfway with arms open. The three embraced; from his bond with Tirinia, Mikaen knew they were her parents.

"I can't believe you just ran off like that!" Her mother said, sounding as though she was attempting to be severe only for her pride to ruin the attempt. "I mean, Teria, yeah, but-"

"Hey!" Teria called out as she and Jeronem stepped from the nearby lift, "What you saying 'bout me?"

"That you're just as much a trouble-maker as your mother." Her father said, smirking. "I guess it finally started rubbing off on your sister too, eh?"

Chuckling, Teria approached her parents and hugged them both. "Hi mum. Hey dad."

Her mother looked at her strangely after they hugged. Rubbing her daughter's shoulders as though feeling for something, she said, "Are you okay? You seem a little stiff."

"I'm fine." Teria said. "Just tired."

"Are you sure?" Her mother pressed, only for Teria to let out a light-hearted laugh.

"I'm sure. Just slept funny last night, that's all." Teria said.

Jyle smiled kindly at the family for a moment before turning to the rest of the group. "We'll have the debriefing in the Council chamber. I trust you can see the Daughters there without leading a charge against the Cleftan Region, Mikaen?"

As Jyle walked away, Mikaen couldn't help but feel a little awkward in the presence of Tirinia's presence, and it wasn't just because of his relationship with Tirinia; he had led the team to Ronisgald, in effect putting both of the Myssohn daughters into a clearly dangerous situation.

No doubt sensing his discomfort, Tirinia led her parents to Mikaen and said, "Mom, Dad, this is Mikaen. Mikaen, these are my parents."

Both parents turned an appraising eye on the sentient, much to his further discomfort. Teria quickly slipped away, the look on her face making it all too clear she did not want to be around for the following conversation.

"Malcolm Myssohn." Said her father, shaking Mikaen's hand firmly. "So this is the lad who popped you the question? Causing all sorts of trouble in Ronisgald from what I've heard in the news."

Mikaen blushed. "I didn't mean-"

Malcolm let out a loud laugh. "Of course you did, and good on you! Uppity Galden could use a good kick in the pants. Tyr's told us all about you, of course; a regular hero, from the sounds of it. I was a hellion myself back in the day; still am, actually, though the missus keeps me in check. Ain't that right, honey?"

Saera didn't say anything as her husband spoke; she just looked at Mikaen, as though sizing him up. Mikaen couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Malcom clapped Mikaen on the shoulder, making him jump slightly. "Don't worry, son; she does that to everybody who's marrying one of her daughters."

Malcom laughed at his joke. Mikaen let out a nervous chuckle as well, making Malcom laugh all the louder. "Easy there, son; I know we kinda put you on the spot like this. We just wanted to get a look at the man who won our little girl's heart."

"By the Creator," Tirinia's mental voice whispered in Mikaen's mind. "I could really just curl up and die."

"Please don't." Mikaen thought back, earning a smile from his beloved.

"Father, the Cygros is waiting for us." Tirinia said aloud, her cheeks still tinged red.

Malcom snapped his fingers and nodded. "Right. We'd better not keep the old boy waiting."

"You and the girls go ahead and take off." Saera said, putting a hand on Mikaen's shoulder. "I'd like to have a private word with our hero here."

"Mother." Tirinia said.

"Don't worry, sweetie; I just want to talk with him without your father making him uncomfortable."

Chuckling, Malcom said, "Just trying to be friendly, dear. Come on, girls! Let's not keep Jyle waiting!"

Tirinia waved to Mikaen before following her father and sister into the docking area.

"We'll give them a minute or two to get ahead before following." Saera let out a deep breath. "So, are you sleeping with her yet?"

Mikaen felt his face go bright red. "Missus Myssohn, I-"

"Please, just call me Saera. It's strange to stick to formality when you've been sleeping with my daughter."

He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He was stunned by her forwardness. Saera strolled down the passage to the docking bay, her finger tracing along the clear windows that ran along the hallway. "Defeating her in the thrall probably didn't pose much challenge."

"It was a close fight." Mikaen said honestly. "It could easily have gone either way."

"Come now, you're being modest. Surely one of us lowly groundlings couldn't pose much of a problem to a high and mighty sentient like you."

Mikaen's wings twitched reflexively in response to his rising anger. "Why are you trying to provoke me?"

"I don't provoke people with words." Without warning, she leapt at him and planted a kick in his chest.

As he staggered back from the sudden blow, his hand flew to Truth's scabbard. He stopped himself just short of drawing it.

Saera held her hands out. "What's wrong, bird? Where's the bluster that drove you to bring my daughters into Ronisgald?"

"They came of their own free will." Mikaen said, standing straight.

Another kick caught him in the stomach, making him double over. Saera was fast, much faster than even her daughters.

As he struggled to stand up, Saera demanded, "Well, sentient? You still think you're better than me?"

She aimed a punch at him, but Mikaen caught her clenched fist in mid-air and held it fast.

"I do not think myself better than anyone, Missus Myssohn." He said, his tone soft and dangerous. "If you're angry about me being bonded with your daughter, that's fine; just don't expect me to abandon her because you've got a problem with a race I know almost nothing about. I love your daughter, and I will marry her whether you give us your blessing or not."

They stared at each other for a long moment before she pulled her fist back, an approving look in her eyes. "You've got fire inside. Good."

Realization struck Mikaen. "This isn't about me being a sentient or about Tirinia." He said, narrowing his eyes. "You're testing me. Why?"

"I know you're a sentient, and I know you know almost nothing about your people."

"Then why are you trying to make me angry?"

"To see if you could, of course. C'mon; let's go see what bug is up Jyle's ass today."

She walked away without another word, leaving an utterly confused Mikaen to follow in her wake.

Jyle glanced up at the door as Saera and Mikaen entered, the latter still feeling a little dazed. "Ah, good. You're all here then."

Mikaen took the seat between Jeronem and Tirinia as Saera joined her husband. Teria was there as well, as were Jade (wearing a hood, probably to surprise Jyle), Kevin, and an extremely nervous Benjamin. Jeronem sat eagerly in a chair beside Jyle, his hands were crossed over a tome that looked like it was about to fall apart.

"Hmm." Mikaen glanced around the table for a moment before asking, "Where's Jek?"

"I'll deal with him later. On to the first matter of business." Jyle slammed his hands down on the table. "What in the name of the Creator did you think you were doing? Do you have any idea how much trouble your little diversion caused?"

Mikaen raised an eyebrow at his old friend. "I've got a pretty good idea, though to be fair we had a lot of help from the Elsewhere Incorporate."

Jyle's mouth hung open for a moment before he caught himself. "I can't control the Elsewhere Incorporate, but I am supposed to be able to keep half the Council from running off on a whim."

"Hardly a whim." Jade muttered. "Or have you gone soft over the last seventy years?"

Jyle narrowed his eyes at her. "Do I know you?"

"Just a bit." Snorting, Jade pushed back her hood.

Now Jyle truly was speechless. As his mouth hung open, Kevin let out a cough to get everyone's attention. "I guess we shoulda introduced ourselves. I'm Seargent Kevin Jures of the Ronisgald Security Force. This is my wife, Jade, and the jittery bloke there's Benjamin …"

He paused and turned to Ben. "What's your last name again?"

"C-calvin." Ben said nervously..

Jyle remained silent for a few moments, his eyes going from Jade to Mikaen.

"This can't be a coincidence." He murmured at one point. "Three of the most highly decorated Knights of the Star just happen to end up on Vinta?"

"Coincidence or not, we're here. Now are you going to keep bitching about how we didn't follow some arbitrary procedure, or do you want to hear what the Revs are up to?" Jade crossed her arms, a stubborn expression on her face.

"The Revs?" Malcom asked, sounding surprised. "Who are the Revs? I thought this was about the Galdens!"

Mikaen said, "The Revs are working with the Galdens. Since they're humans, and humans look about the same as Galdens, they were able to infiltrate the Celestial Cathedral."

"And the Security Force." Kevin added. "I'm pretty sure we aren't supposed to know the Revs are even there."

"But what is their plan?" Mikaen mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"The Dust Knight!" Jeronem said, triumph in his voice.

His outburst attracted every eye at the table. Mikaen was curious, but most of the others looked skeptical.

"Who's the Dust Knight?" Mikaen asked when no answer was forthcoming.

Tirinia leaned closer to him and whispered, "The Dust Knight is supposedly the right-hand of the Creator, sent to watch over Vinta and its people."

"That's ancient mythology." Teria said, snorting derisively. "Are you saying the Revs are after fairy tales?"

"Then what about the Amplifier?" Jeronem asked, looking around the table for support. "The Dust Knight supposedly had great power at his disposal, and that chunk of crystallic is capable of putting off an incredible amount of energy."

Kevin nodded. "Yeah, I remember this; he could supposedly create planets and move them around the cosmos at his will. Wild, ain't it? Er … no offense, Jer."

"Besides," added Jade, "The Amplifier was definitely Kindred tech."

"The facility around the Amplifer was Kindred tech." Tirinia corrected, a gleam in her eye that Mikaen knew she only got when something had caught her curiosity. "I've seen evidence of another civilization predating the Kindred inside digs in Longshore; there isn't much evidence, but it could be that the Kindred facilities are there for the same reason we find Glyche facilities outside of Kindred ruins."

"Interesting." Saera commented, scratching her chin. "Each civilization examining what the other left behind."

It sounded reasonable to Mikaen, even if all the talk of ancient civilizations was a bit over his head.

"What makes you say it's this Dust Knight?" Mikaen asked Jeronem curiously.

"When I was spying on Darcones and Liegan, they talked like the Amplifier was part of something called the Raenqal."

Mikaen shifted slightly in his seat at the mention of Liegan, the man responsible for so much suffering back on Earth. It still irked him that he had managed to slip away.

Jeronem thumped the cover of the thick leather book he had brought with him. "This is 'The Legend of the Dust Knight' by Avarian Krille. Dad used to read it to me while I was a kid; the Raenqal was supposedly the source of the Dust Knight's power."

Mikaen glanced at Tirinia. "Some kind of creative engine, maybe?"

Even as she nodded in agreement, Teria suggested, "Or a weapon. The legend calls him a Dust Knight, after all."

The table fell quiet; the implication of a massive weapon falling into the hands of a group like the Revs did not breed pleasant thoughts.

"Whatever this Raenqal really is, we need to find the rest of it." Mikaen said. "Do we have any ideas where the other parts of it might be?"

"It doesn't matter."

Everyone looked at Jyle. His arms were crossed, and his expression was unusually stern. "Whatever this Raenqal thing is, it's not your concern, Mikaen."

Mikaen snorted. "They're Revs, Jyle. That does concern me."

"You aren't a Knight of the Star on Vinta, Mikaen; you're a representative of Homestead."

"Which means I'm even more involved." Mikaen said, but Jyle shook his head.

"I bent the rules asking you to lead the team to Ronisgald because we're old friends, but I never thought you'd sneak off with half of the Council."

"More like a quarter of the Council." Jeronem piped in.

"You stay out of this!" Jyle stared at Jeronem a moment. "Since when have you been able to … never mind, it's not important. Each of you represents your respective race now! That's too big of a responsibility for you to be running off on a fool's errand!"

"It wasn't a fool's errand!" exclaimed Tirinia, the anger in her tone reflecting Mikaen's own feelings. "The Revs are there! We found proof!"

"Here here." said Jade, smirking.

Jyle shook his head. "I'd doesn't matter."

"The hell it doesn't!" Mikaen rose to his feet and stared Jyle in the eyes, his wings pushing out and making him look a little bigger. "What is this crap, Jyle? It's not like this was any more dangerous than anything we did back on Earth."

"What we did back on Earth was for a definite purpose; Ronisgald is nearly in a state of complete and utter panic! There was no purpose! You didn't do it because you thought it was important! You did it because you were bored!"

"I did it because the Revs would wipe every non-human off this planet if they got the chance!" Mikaen said, his tone rising to match Jyle's heightened volume. "Have you been Cygros so long that you've forgotten what the Revs are capable of, or is it true that you are on their side now?"

Jyle leapt to his feet, anger in his eyes. "I have and will never work for Revs!"

"Then why are you protecting them?"

A silence fell over the room.

After a few moments, Jyle called out, "Miros! Garrus!"

Two guards entered the room, their faces unreadable.

"Take Mikaen to his room, and make sure he doesn't leave."

Everyone looked at Jyle with astonishment, none more so than Jade and Mikaen..

As the guards approached, Jyle said, "Don't fight me, Mikaen; I will order them to stun you and carry you to your quarters if I must."

Tirinia stood up, eyes flashing. "I'd drop them both before you'd finish giving the order."

"I've got the one on the left." Teria added, still reclining in her chair with her feet on the table.

Jyle looked to Saera and Malcom, who had been rather quiet thus far. "I don't suppose I can count on any support from you here?"

Malcom and Saera exchanged bemused glances. Still grinning, Saera said, "No, I don't suppose you can."

The air was tense. Mikaen could tell that Tirinia was ready to fight to protect him if necessary. He could even see Jeronem's hand brushing over his staff, no doubt readying a spell. Saera and Malcom were watching him; Malcom looked approving, but Saera's face was unreadable.

Mikaen had no doubt that he could overpower the guards, but what then? He had no clue where the other parts of the Raenqal were, nor did he have any way of getting there. Was he really ready to drag Teria, Jeronem, and Tirinia along with him? Would Saera and Malcom allow it?

Sighing, Mikaen raised his hands. "Fine, Jyle. I'll go to my room, but tell me just one thing; are you in contact with Ronisgald?"

Jyle stared at Mikaen for a long moment before saying, "I give you my word, Mikaen; I would never work with the Revs … not now, not ever."

After searching his friend's face for a few moments, Mikaen nodded. "Good enough."

Tirinia stood up to go with him. Jyle held up a hand to stop her, but she walked past him without as much as a word.

"Don't bother." Saera warned Jyle. "You don't want to get between a Myssohn woman and her mate."

Sighing, Jyle said, "Fine."

Tirinia slipped her hand around Mikaen's as they were escorted from the room.

Neither of them said anything as they were escorted to the lift that lead to the tower reserved for visiting sentient dignitaries. Mikaen wanted to talk, but not with the guards around.

"We don't have to talk out loud." Tirinia's mental voice said.

"I know." Mikaen thought back. "But I'm still not comfortable talking about it while they're still here. Call me paranoid."

"You're paranoid." Her hand tightened around his, her smile raising his spirits.

When they reached the lift for the Rising Star guest tower, the guards took up positions on either side of the elevator. One of them said, "We'll be standing watch to make sure you don't try to leave the castle unattended. Every tower's lift is also guarded, and we've placed a protective field over the balcony, so don't get any ideas."

As the lift doors began to close, the other guard said, "I'm sorry about this, sir. For what it's worth, I feel your work in Ronsigald was very impressive."

Mikaen bowed his head to the guard in acknowledgement. He didn't blame them, of course; they were just doing their jobs.

As the lift started up, Tirinia glanced at Mikaen, a worried look on her face. "Are you okay?"

"He didn't answer my question." Mikaen said. "I know Jyle wouldn't work with the Revs; I only said it the first time to rile him up."

"But he said-"

"He said he would never work for the Revs, but he didn't say anything about Ronisgald. Question is, what can we do about it while stuck in a tower?"

Tirinia met his gaze, her thoughts following closely along with his own. Unfortunately, there was little they could do about their predicament, and they both knew it. Even if the balconies weren't shielded, Mikaen had not exercised his wings enough to carry her past the palace gates; even if he had the strength, Jyle probably had guards in the Garden below keeping a lookout for just such a maneuver.

When the doors opened to his room opened, she squeezed his hand and pulled him inside. "C'mon."

"You have an idea?"

"No, but seeing as there's nothing we can do …" She blushed and rubbed his cheek meaningfully.

Mikaen felt his own cheeks grow warm. As her intentions stole over him, filling him with a warm, tingling sensation, the Revs and Jyle didn't seem so important anymore.


	7. Arrrgh!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One's been in a lot of odd places over the years, but kidnapped by pirates is certainly a new one for him.

As Glen slowly drifted back to consciousness, the first thing he saw was a blinding white light. Hazy from the medication they had given him, he found himself wondering if he had in fact died and gone to heaven.

"He's waking up!" Teria's voice, sounding uncharacteristically relieved.

He tried to sit up, but was pushed gently down. "Easy there, son; I'll have you fixed up in a minute."

"Where-"

"Dolan's Retreat Inn in Thatch. Now please remain still and stop talking; the better my focus, the faster I can heal you."

"Glen, please listen to him … okay?"

"I hear and obey." He muttered, a touch of bitterness in his voice.

The healer was an old woman with a kind face; the blue-green stream energy emanated from her hands to his chest. Before his eyes, the last of the bloody gashes sealed themselves shut. It was itchy, but scratching seemed like a really bad idea.

After a few minutes, the healer finally lowered her hands. "There. That's better, isn't it? You can sit up now, but don't get out of bed just yet."

"Thank you." Glen said as he sat up; he felt a little stiff, but he'd take stiffness to outright pain any day.

"You're welcome young man. In the future, I'd recommend giving any gregalls you encounter a wide berth; you got lucky this time, but next time might be a different story."

"He will." Teria told her. "Right, Glen?"

"As you command." He replied, narrowing his eyes at her. She bowed her head, cheeks dark.

The old woman smiled at her before walking out the door and closing it behind her. Silence filled what parts of the room weren't occupied by Glen and Teria.

"I'm sorry." Teria eventually whispered.

"You're sorry." Glen repeated, a little stunned at how woefully inadequate it seemed.

"I am, I really, really am! I didn't think … I mean, when I said 'wait here' … if I knew this was gonna happen, I'd never have said that. You believe me, right?"

"I'd like to." He managed to say after a few moments. "I really would, but after these last few weeks-"

"I know, I know …"

"Do you? Do you know? You've treated me as your damn slave ever since you gave me that damn necklace!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

"Didn't mean it? Really? That's what you're going with?" Anger once again boiling inside him, Glen looked pointedly away from her. He didn't trust himself to talk anymore, not with how he was feeling.

After a few minutes of tense silence, he finally asked, "Why did you do this to me? We've travelled together for almost two years! I trusted you more than I trusted my old team, and you repay me by making me your personal servant? I thought we were friends!"

"We are, Glen!"

"And you making me work so you could eat anywhere you wanted and sleep in nice hotels while I ate whatever scraps you gave me outside? All the times you forced me to sing at karaoke bars just so you could have a laugh at my expense? How about the fact that I've carried you practically everywhere for the last month? Is that all friendship too?"

"Glen, I'm-"

"Yes, you're sorry. You're really sorry. Well, I'm sorry too, Teria. I'm sorry that I don't get to have a life anymore."

"Glen …"

"I'm sorry I'm going to be a slave to a selfish brat for the rest of my life."

"Glen!"

"I'm sorry I ever met you!"

His words hit her like a slap in the face. She slowly turned around and faced the window.

He should apologize; a genuine apology. Even angry, he knew he hadn't truly meant to do anything more than hurt her with that comment, but he just couldn't bring himself to say anything.

"You were gonna leave."

"What?"

"Back in Meekos, when we had that fight about Jai Vye … you were gonna head to Jai Vye."

She shrugged, a strange desperation in the way she moved her arms. "Why would you want to stay with me? You're right. I'm spoiled and selfish and completely horrible! You're my best friend in the world, even better than my sister, and I enslaved you without a second thought just because you disagreed with me! What … what's wrong with me?"

Glen opened his mouth to try and say something supportive, but the words fell flat as she turned around. She was crying, genuinely crying. He had never seen her crying before, not even when she'd broken her arm.

"Please." She whispered, throwing her arms around him. "Please don't leave! I'm sorry, and I'll do anything, anything to make it up to you. I'll give you the ring and wear the damn necklace myself, just please don't leave me alone!"

He could only sit there in bed as she cried into his chest. There was no anger anymore, just a kind of strange feeling of heaviness in his chest mingled with the last thing he expected to be feeling: happiness.

Tentatively, he put his hand on her head and began to smooth her hair. "I wasn't really gonna go."

She looked up at him, her tear-stained eyes still puffy. "R-really?"

"Really … and I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said … about wishing I'd never met you. If anything, I'm glad I landed in your lake … and I still consider you my best friend in the world, even if you've been a jerk lately."

She let out a light laugh. "I know. I'm sorry. Here, let me get rid of this stupid pendant."

She reached around his head for the clasp of the necklace. Glen found himself thinking about how close their faces were when an oddly compelling urge swept through him to kiss her. Before he could react, however, a small crackle of lightning made Teria pull her hand back.

"Oww!" She said, wringing her fingers. "What in Nocturnes?"

She tried again, and again, she was zapped by a small jolt of electricity. As she tried to pat down her hair, most of which was now standing on end, Glen suggested, "Maybe if you ordered me to take it off?"

"Yeah! Yeah, uh, take off the pendant!"

"As you command." Glen's hands rose immediately and reached for the clasp, only to receive a small shock.

He and Teria exchanged worried looks, both holding up their numb hands. Before he could say anything however, her image began to distort and fade. In a manner of seconds, the twilight of the Dream Realm filled One's vision. The rustle of leaves above his head signaled that the memory was over and he was now in the Dream Realm proper. He was once again Narrator Number One, Dreamer (albeit normed) of the Elsewhere Incorporate.

With a flutter of wings, a familiar blue-furred nixil landed on One's knee and fixed him with an angry glare.

"Hi Nixil." One said, raising a hand to tousle the three furry tentacles that sprouted from the top of the nixil's head. "Just had another memory return. You wouldn't believe-"

Nixil slapped away One's hand with one of his clawed feet. "Solarion's Grace, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm sleeping. I was remembering, though."

Rolling his eyes, Nixil flew up to One's face and whacked him in the head with a wing.

"Oww!" Looking balefully at Nixil as he rubbed the sore spot on his head. "What's the deal?"

"The deal? The deal?! Do you have any idea what's been going on in the Dream Realm since you invoked the Anti-ka Maru on Teria?"

One gave Nixil a skeptical look. "How do you know about that?"

"I'm your nixil, you idiot. Of course I know!"

One bowed his head. "You think I did the wrong thing too, huh?"

To his surprise, Nixil let out a sigh. "Of course saving Teria was the right choice. She's still your friend, and you'd still like to see it become something more."

"And Luck?" One asked, hoping for some advice.

Nixil let out another sigh. "Look, this mess with Teria and Luck is confusing as all hell, but ironically it has nothing to do with you. Er, the confusing bits, not the being with them bits. That's not what I'm here about; there's a break in the Dream Realm from your little stunt, and it's not fixing itself like it's supposed to."

"Really? That's weird. Oh well, I should still be able to close it from within the Dream Realm." One quickly rose to his feet. "Lead the way."

As One and Nixil flew through the twilight, they were greeted by a wide expanse of plains and hills known as the Wanderlands. Most of it was fields of crops, grain mostly, surrounded by a dense forest. There were several small settlements, the largest and oldest almost directly in the center, marked by a massive tree known as 'The First Tree' for reasons One didn't know. Most of the residents were black-winged harpies (commonly referred to as 'crows') and the nocturi, though a wide variety of nixils could be seen working the fields: everything from lumbering trolls to nimble gremlins.

As they passed above one of the smaller towns, Nixil said, "There it is."

One let out a low whistle when he spotted the break. "Wow. That's definitely a record for me."

They were in a small pumpkin patch, where a group of nocturi were gathered, looking very mysterious with their gray skin, red tribal tattoos and dark quilted cloaks. Several stamped their hooves nervously as the group stood around a hole seemingly floating in midair, several cracks spreading out from it in all directions. A few crows were in the nearby tree as well, no doubt attracted to the strange sight.

Several of the nocturi stepped back respectfully as One touched down and approached the strange hole. Nixil landed on his shoulder a moment later and stared curiously at the disturbance while a nocturi with white hair approached.

"Thank you for coming, Dreamer of the Elsewhere." She said, bowing her head respectfully.

"Not a problem." He said, offering his hand. "I'm just sorry I couldn't have come sooner."

The nocturi shook his hand tentatively. "It has grown considerably since it first appeared. No one has received any injury, though frankly, we're all a bit on edge after what happened."

"I can certainly understand why." One said, making a mental note to ask Nixil for more details, as he didn't want to worry the nocturi further. He turned to the rest of the group and said, "Sorry about this, folks. Mainstream's been a bit … chaotic lately. Don't you worry, though; I'll have this fixed up in a jiffy."

The nocturi seemed relieved by this. Some walked away, though more than a few remained, no doubt curious. They cantered a short distance away, eyes watching from beneath their quilted hoods. Some of the crows hopped to lower branches to get a better look, their curious faces peering out from the crescent leaves.

"Does it always look like that?" Nixil asked curiously, his tone hushed.

"Like what?"

"Like someone punched the fabric of the Dream Realm?"

One nodded. "Pretty much, though I'm guessing something else happened."

"You mean besides the Traverse Town Council getting on my case because they recognized your flux as the source? Yeah. Something came through. Shining Force managed to force it back, but whatever it was shook everyone bad."

"Ugh. Hate to meet something that could spook the Shining Force."

The Dream Realm pulsed in One's vision. The strange feeling of weightlessness swept over him as he felt the familiar tug of consciousness.

"Uh oh." He said. "We'd better make this quick; I think I'm waking up."

One put a hand on the hole and concentrated his thoughts on closing the break between the mainstream and the Dream Realm. In his mind's eye, he could see thousands of strands swirling in the center of the hole: frayed threads of reality caused by the sudden rush of energy he channeled to save Teria.

One by one, the threads wove back together, gradually sealing the break. It wasn't an easy process, but One knew better than to leave holes in the barrier between dreams and reality. The transition was never pleasant, as the poor creature that passed through the break earlier no doubt discovered.

As the final threads were rejoined and the last of the cracks vanished from the air, the now-tiny hole let out a final pulse of light before vanishing completely. The nocturi were visibly relieved; several of the crows applauded, the breeze created from their flapping wings strong enough to ruffle One's hair.

"There." One said, wiping his hands on his shirt. "Good as new. As for whatever came through-"

His vision blurred again; consciousness was pulling him away from the Dream Realm.

"See if you can't find out more about what came through earlier." He said to Nixil. "I'll meet up with you next time I go to sleep and we'll talk about it more then."

"You got it." Nixil gave One an apologetic look. "You know I'd help you with the whole 'being normed' thing if I could."

"It's okay, Nixil." One assured him as his vision began to fade, taking his powers with it. "I'll talk to you …"


	8. Divine Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One finds himself kidnapped by Air Pirates

One sat up abruptly in the makeshift pile of blankets and discarded cushions that could only loosely be referred to as a bed. He looked around his cell for a moment and let out a sigh. "… later."

He held a hand to his head as his last waking memories flooded through his mind: the tigreth pirates, and most importantly, their leader. Part of him didn't want to believe his memories were accurate, but somehow, someway, he knew it was her.

"Dammit." One fell back into the pile of blankets. His head lolled over the back of the pile so that he was staring through the bars at the back of the cell. There was a young tigreth boy was sitting cross-legged just beyond the bars, regarding One with an air of undisguised curiosity. Although he was upside-down in One's vision, One could tell he was quite young; perhaps eight years old at the most.

"Hey there." One said, not bothering to flip over. "Are you my guard?"

The boy jumped up and ran off without a word.

One let out another sigh. "It's gonna be a long day."

He rose to his feet to get a better look at his surroundings. It wasn't the first time One had woken up in a cell; Dreamers can be mistaken for vagrants if we don't take care to remain hidden in some locations. This is at times desirable and at other times very inconvenient.

His cell was unremarkable: standard steel bar construction, a single door (locked, of course), a toilet without so much as a towel for privacy, and his rather sad excuse for a bed. One approached the door and rested a hand over the lock. That's when he realized he was no longer wearing Headache.

Truth be told, One wasn't surprised; only an idiot would have left him in a prison cell with gear that would let him bend iron bars like toothpicks. He tried pushing and pulling the cell door, but his earlier presumption had been correct; it was locked tight.

Someone let out a chuckle. "Did you really believe they'd leave you in an unlocked cell?"

One turned to see a man staring at him curiously from the adjoining cell. The horns and the light layer of black fur covering the fellow's leathery skin gave him a bullish appearance. That and his large, muscular body marked him as a tauren, another of Longshore's many tribes.

"These old cells can be tricky to lock and unlock even with the key." One said, appraising the fellow prisoner, "If it's too much trouble, sometimes the guards won't actually mess with the mechanism. Like you said, who would believe their cell door was unlocked?"

The old tauren chuckled. "Interesting. I'll have to remember that next time I'm in the clink."

"You're a tauren, right?" One asked, approaching the wall they shared.

"All my life. You can call me Rayn, son."

One shook the old tauren's hand through the bars. "Narrator Number One of the Elsewhere Incorporate."

Rayn's eyes widened slightly, but he gave no other outward sign of his surprise. "You admitted that quite readily."

"Not much point in lying about it." One said, glancing around at the other cells. "She knows who I am, after all."

Now Rayn did look surprised. With a chuckle, he said, "Ah, so you know her, eh? She's quite a piece of work."

"Yeah, she sure is." Shaking his head, One asked, "So how did you get caught?"

Rayn chuckled again. "I'm Captain Garrote Rayn."

One stared at him blankly, not sure of the significance. After a few moments, a disappointed look crossed the tauren's face. "Nothing, eh? Oh well. I know you lot have quite a heap on your plates. I just kinda hoped that perhaps me and my merry band might've made some kind of impression."

"Maybe it's not an impression." One said, trying to cheer the fellow up. "Perhaps you're just good at working in secret."

Rayn let out a loud guffaw. "Look at me, son; do I look like the secretive type to you?"

One didn't know how to respond to that. Fortunately, Rayn didn't seem to expect him to say anything. Letting out a small groan as he sat down on his bed, Rayn said, "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. I am … was the captain of the Strand Saints."

"Oh." One refrained from mentioning that he knew very little about the group, other than that they had just saved the Phoenix and kidnapped him. "If you're the captain then how did you end up in a cell?"

"Was. I was the captain." Rayn corrected. "As for why I'm here, well … she has a way with words, doesn't she?"

One chuckled. "Yeah. She's even better with her guitar."

"Don't remind me." Rayn rubbed his head; One could see the bumps through the tauren's thick mane of hair. "Still, from what I've been hearing through the weave, you're quite the brawler yourself. Perhaps that's why she wanted you so badly; you'd make a good bodyguard."

"It's never that simple with her."

Rayn raised a questioning eyebrow at One. "Oh? So that's the way of it, eh?"

One felt his face begin to grow hot. Turning away, he said, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Now I'm really intrigued. So what's the history?"

One wasn't sure what to tell him. Unfortunately, to a man such as the captain, that was just as good as admitting it outright.

"Ah, so that's why you're here."

One opened his mouth to reply when the door at the end of the cell block slammed open.

A tigreth woman with black fur and a decidedly hungry expression stepped through the door and strutted down the walkway. She was wearing what could only be described as a pirate bikini: a red and white-striped top and a pair of black short-shorts held around her waist by a belt with two holsters, one containing a gun of some type, the other holding what One recognized as a Galden energy saber.

Cocking one hip to the side, she said, "The new Captain told me to bring you on deck. You ain't gonna give me no trouble, right?"

"I wouldn't bet on that, Cassie." Rayn said, winking at One. "He's a Dreamer of the Elsewhere, you know."

Cassie smirked. "Yeah, he's a Dreamer all right, but he's a goodie-two shoes. He'd never hurt someone who didn't intend him harm. Isn't that right, sweetie?"

One blushed, but set his jaw. "Maybe not, but how do you know I'll follow you instead of trying to escape?"

Cassie laughed as she unlocked the cell. "Escape? Yeah, that'd be kinda funny."

The lock clicked open. She slid the door open and stepped aside. "There you go. I'll give you a ten-count, if you want."

One eyed her suspiciously as he stepped out of the cell.

She grinned a little wider and pointed to the door at the right end of the hallway. "Lift's that way. Goes to the deck and the escape pods."

One contemplated this for a few moments before letting out a sigh. "Fine. Take me to your new captain."

She looked at him with mock surprise. "You aren't going to make a break for it?"

"It wouldn't help." One said with a resigned sigh. "I might be able to escape before you or your friends catch me, but her? She's always been a bit … stubborn."

Cassie chuckled. "I'm glad you're seeing reason. Let's not keep the captain waiting then."

After a short ride, the lift doors opened onto the gleaming white deck of the ship. It was impressive, though nowhere near as fancy as the Phoenix. The deck was a white expanse hemmed in by a thick set of railings reinforced with an energy-based shield that reduced the gusts across the deck to a light breeze.

Several members of the crew, mostly tigreth and Galden, were walking on the deck. Some were checking equipment, but most seemed to be there just to relax.

Although different in design, the Saints vessel was similar to that of the S.S. Popehat in that it strongly resembling the basic design of old Earth sailing vessels. A small upper deck was positioned in the aft of the ship, where One could just make out a set of helm controls. He quite correctly reasoned that the helm on the upper deck was redundant; pilots only use the exterior helm for sightseeing tours and leisurely flights through the sky.

"Ah, the little Dreamer awakens!" A teasing voice called out. "Bring him up here, First Mate!"

Cassie gestured to the nearest set of stairs. "After you." They climbed the stairs to the upper deck. A few more crew members were lounging on deck or leaning against the railings, but it was the woman at the helm who caught One's attention. Her long sky blue hair rustled in the breeze as she lounged in a chair obviously designed for the former Captain Garrote.

Three little girls were perched on the chair, two on the arm the captain wasn't resting against, and the third sitting on the back. One would've thought they were normal tigreth if it weren't for the tiny pairs of horns on their little heads. They were listening intently as the captain played a very out-of-place-looking electric guitar.

She smiled at him as One approached with Cassie, her fingers gently strumming soothing chords from her electric guitar. "'Sup, One."

One stared at her. Even though he had been sure it was her, seeing her still shocked him somehow. "We haven't seen each other for two centuries, and all you say is ''Sup, One'?"

"Well, there is something else." She set the guitar down beside the captain's chair and rose to her feet. The large muscle shirt she wore rippled about her lithe body in the breeze as she strolled forward. Slipping her arms around One, she proceeded to give him a kiss that made the little girls giggle.

Stepping back, she cocked her head to the side innocently and asked, "Is that better? Or did you forget little ol' Ukaroh already?"

He shook his head, words still escaping him. Ukaroh and One had been closer than anyone in the Elsewhere. It had taken him years to recover after she went rogue. She was still a Dreamer, but she operated on her own, outside of the Elsewhere Incorporate … and Teach.

She rubbed his cheek with a gloved hand. "Why do you look so surprised?"

"I honestly don't know." One said, feeling strangely resigned. "I mean, with everything else that's happened lately, you'd think I'd have seen it coming."

She let out a laugh. "Elsewhere's a mess, ain't it? I'd thought even you woulda abandoned Teach to his nonsense by now."

"Yeah, well." One chuckled uncomfortably. "You know me."

Ukaroh motioned for him to follow. Strolling beside the rail, she said, "So, what silliness has gramps tricked you into this time? Have to save school children from a government brainwashing? Military installation needs a terminal case of blown the hell up?" She held up her finger to forestay his response. "Wait, don't tell me; he's got you on another Cupid's Arrow job. God, you're such a big softie!"

"Yeah, I wish it was that simple. Started off as a Search Party; now it's looking more like a Save the World job. God only knows what else it's going to turn into."

"Tell me about it."

One gave her a strange look. "Really?"

"Really. I'm interested; tell me." She batted her eyes at him and said, "Puh-lease?"

One brought her up to speed on the entire situation from Mikaen's arrival on Vinta to the Breath of Fire and getting normed in Ronisgald, and finally the aerial fight with the Revs.

"Wow." She said, sounding and looking impressed. "What a mess. Still, you're alive, you're breathing; everything worked out fine."

One ground his fists around the railing. "Hardly fine; I've got no powers, I got separated from my friends, and we still don't know what's going on with the Revs."

They stood silently at the railing. Perhaps Ukaroh remained quiet out of sympathy for One. Perhaps she only did so while she came up with something else to say. It was hard to tell with her, sometimes.

With a sigh, One said, "Thanks, by the way."

"For what?"

"For protecting my friends from the Revs."

She raised an eyebrow. "Friends? You're really into this assignment, aren't you?"

One shook his head. "Maybe I'm just empathizing with Mikaen; we're both from post-Devastation Earth, neither of us remembers what happened before, and we both have good reason to hate the Revs."

"And Teria?"

One looked at her in surprise. "You know about Teria?"

"And Luck. Some of the other Dreamers have a bet going, you know."

"Really." One said, mentally making a note to find the bookie. "And which one did you bet on?"

She chuckled and sidled closer to him. "Neither."

One stepped away from her. "Why are you here?"

"Aside from you?" Resting her backside against the railing, she said, "Well, I was in the area. These norms caught me in a bit of a spot, but after a few weeks of subtle manipulation, carefully worded stories about my exploits, and a little blind luck, I managed to throw a bit of a mutiny … with Cassie's help, of course."

One glanced back at Cassie, who was playing with the horned tigreth children. Something in his head finally clicked.

"Wait … she's Rayn's wife?" He asked incredulously.

Ukaroh laughed. "Wild, isn't it? They've been married for ages. They've got dozens of children; the two girls who helped me grab you are his oldest."

"I thought tigreth births were mostly male."

"Among tigreths, yes. Among the tauren, it's the exact opposite. Since children take more DNA from the father, they've got a gaggle of little horny girls." She giggled. "Well, you know what I mean."

They watched the girls play for a few moments. The three girls were climbing over their mother, who was pretending to be overcome by the assault.

"So what happens now?" One asked.

"I guess that depends on you." She grabbed One's hand and jerked him toward her. Slipping deftly under the startled Dreamer's arm, she pressed up against the side of One's chest. "Why don't we just pick up where we left off?"

She tried to kiss him again, but he shied away. It wasn't intentional; more like a reflex.

"What's wrong?" She asked, ruffling his hair. "You didn't have a problem with kissing me earlier."

"But I should have. I'm in a relationship already." One told her.

Ukaroh snorted. "Yeah, that bubble-headed bimbo Luck's so totally a replacement for me. Or is it the cat-girl? You got a mind for bestiality?"

"It's not like that."

"So what if it is?" A sly smile crossed her face. "Y'know, I don't mind sharing; heck, having a tigreth or another Dreamer join in could only make it more fun."

One's cheeks burned. "I doubt they'd feel the same."

"Their loss. You're my prize now; I have no problem sharing you, but I'm not going to let you go."

She whistled sharply. Cassie and another tigreth were beside One in an instant.

"Take him to the brig." She ordered.

As strong hands grabbed his arms, One asked angrily, "What the hell, Ukaroh?"

"I think you need to cool your heels a bit. Y'know, so you can think about my offer." She flicked her wrist at him. "Take him away, ladies, until he's ready to join us."

One fought against his captors, but they held him with an iron grip. Without Headache, One's arms weren't strong enough to overpower the well-muscled tigreth sailors. As they dragged him away, Ukaroh blew him a kiss. "When you're ready to accept me as your queen, let me know."

Cassie and a pirate whose horns identified her as one of Cassie's daughters dragged One back into the lift and brought him back to the cell block. Garrote looked up with interest as One was shoved back into his cell.

As the gate slammed shut, Cassie said, "I'll come by in an hour, Mr. Dreamer. Until then, I suggest you rest up."

"For what?" One asked sullenly.

"For your apology." A smile slipped over her face. "It's always more fun after we make up, isn't it sweetie?"

Garrote snorted. "Don't count on it."

As she sauntered toward the elevator, Garrote grimaced, shook his head, and finally asked, "How much longer?"

She turned, a sweet smile on her face. Walking back to his cell, she leaned toward the bars and kissed Garrote on his bovine nose. "I love you too, sweetie. I'll stage a mutiny in a few days, so you just wait here for your triumphant return, all right?"

Glancing at One, she added, "Not a word of this to anyone, Mr. Dreamer, especially your darling Ukaroh."

"Yeah, my darling Ukaroh. 'Cause I'm feeling real inclined to tell her anything at the moment."

She gave him a sympathetic look. "Would it make you feel better to know that your friends made it back to Muonsol?"

"Actually, it does. Thanks." He said begrudgingly.

She looked at him for a long moment, her eyes going over every inch of his face. "What's her name?"

With a sigh, One said, "It's complicated, but … well, Teria Myssohn and I-"

"Teria Myssohn?" Garrote said with obvious surprise. "What was one of the Daughters of Longshore doing on an experimental airship?"

"It's … well, like I said, it's complicated."

"And you fancy the Daughter?" Cassie asked curiously.

"I … well, I guess I … I mean, if it weren't for-"

"I thought so." Cassie stared at One for a few moments before turning away and walking back to the lift.

As she vanished behind the sliding doors without so much as another word, One asked, "What was that about?"

Garrote shrugged and said, "Don't look at me; I'm just her husband."


	9. Interim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Any description might risk being longer than the chapter itself.

Somewhere in the skies over Vinta, the metal cargo sphere continued its descent to Rimstak. If anyone had been nearby, they would have no doubt been puzzled to hear two sounds from within the sphere: one merry voice singing about bottles of alcohol and the steady thump-thump-thump of someone hitting his head against the side of the cargo sphere.

Of course, no one was even remotely nearby, so the sphere flew unhindered and unobserved on its journey through the night sky.


	10. The Flight of the Phoenix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikaen and company escape from Ircandesta. Special appearance from J-27 Dreamer Mixe.

Everblue hung in the window of Mikaen's room, a perfect azure orb among a sea of stars. It was a beautiful night; the sky was clear, the moon was out, and the stars were softly twinkling.

Tirinia shifted slightly in her sleep, her naked body brushing against Mikaen's side. Mikaen absently ran a hand down her back, savoring the velvety feel of her fur.

She shifted again, her eyes opening just a crack. Smiling, she stretched an arm across Mikaen's chest and pulled him closer, whispering, "C'mere."

He met her embrace eagerly. Mikaen couldn't imagine ever waking up without her beside him. Had they truly only been together for a few short months? He could swear she had been with him for years.

She met his gaze, her purple eyes catching his with a grip he had no hope of resisting. "I love you."

He took her hand and rubbed it against his cheek. "And I love you too, sweetie."

"Sweetie? Oh, no." She said, eyes widening. "I can already hear Teria teasing me. If you want to try and slip me a pet name, you're going to have to come up with something better than that."

"Oh yeah?" Mikaen said, catching her hands, only for her to easily slip from his grip and catch his hands instead.

"Yeah." She said, leaning close enough for him to smell her sweet breath.

"Okay. I'll call you punkin."

"Punkin?!" She shoved him over and pinned his shoulders against the bed, a fierce grin on her face. "How about I call you cuddle-butt? Sir Cuddle-butt the fluffy!"

"Princess Fuzzycheeks!" His fingers were just close enough to tickle her bare sides. She let out a shriek of laughter and fell back under his onslaught.

"Feather-fingers!" She said between laughs.

"Missy Whiskers!"

This continued for a few minutes as they wrestled back and forth until they found themselves ready for more than just play.

Teria let out a giggle as she once again pinned her fiancé to the bed, a wisp of her light hair sliding across her face. As her smile softened and she pressed her body to his, he whispered, "Cel'na."

She pulled back just enough so that she could look him in the eyes. "What was that?"

"I dunno." Mikaen told her. "But it feels right, somehow."

"Cel'na." She repeated, taking his hand and rubbing it against her cheek. "I like it."

She kissed him gently before adding, "Cuddle-butt."

"C'mere, you!" Mikaen said, slipping his arms free and pulling her close.

Someone let out a polite cough, making both of them freeze. A figure stepped out of the shadows, the silver embroidery on his black hooded robe catching the light of the moon.

Tirinia let out a surprised yelp and rolled off of Mikaen, covering herself with her blanket. Unfortunately, that left Mikaen with little more than a pillow to preserve his modesty.

"Who the hell are you?" Mikaen demanded as Tirinia peered at the stranger over Mikaen's shoulder.

The black robed boy chuckled. "Don't worry; I wasn't watching; You were asleep when I came in, so I decided to wait until you two woke up."

"You didn't answer the question." Mikaen glanced at the young man's gloved hands. "Are you from the Elsewhere?"

"As a matter of fact, I am not. Forgive my manners; Mixe is the name by which I am most known." Mixe bowed respectfully to Mikaen and Tirinia. "It is an honor to meet you both; True Knight of the Knights of the Star and honored Daughter of Longshore … and quite the slamm player, I hear."

Tirinia moved slightly from behind Mikaen, still clutching the comforter to her chest. "If you aren't with the Dreamers-"

"Then why am I here? My apologies, milady; while you could say I'm with One and his compatriots, I don't fall under the jurisdiction of the Elsewhere Incorporate." He cocked his head to the side, his white hair waving slightly with the abrupt movement. "Jurisdiction. I guess that word works as well as any other. No, I just provide occasional assistance."

"Then you can help One!" said Mikaen. "We lost track of him at-"

"There's nothing to worry about." Mixe assured them. "One was picked up by an old friend. While I'm sure he'd rather be somewhere else, I've no doubt that she'll keep him from harm for the time being."

Mikaen breathed a sigh of relief. One's safety had weighed heavily on his mind. From their bond, he could tell Tirinia felt the same.

"So, Mixe." Mikaen said, feeling a little more relaxed. "What brings you here? You picking up where One left off?"

"Not exactly. As I said, I'm not of the Elsewhere; Teach's orders and assignments mean nothing to me. I did, however, feel that you should be made aware of certain things."

"What kind of things?" asked Tirinia.

"Things like the presence of Ronisgald soldiers in Muonsol."

"What?!" Mikaen sat bolt upright, forgetting his modesty for a moment.

"You might want to put something on before I continue; meet me out on the balcony once you're dressed."

With a small bow to each of them, he strode across the floor and walked straight through the balcony door without bothering to open it.

Tirinia and Mikaen looked at each other and shrugged. As they helped each other get dressed, Tirinia asked, "Do you think we're just starting to get used to strange people offering assistance?"

"Hey, as long as they're helping, I don't mind."

Mikaen approached the balcony door as he tightened the straps on his arm guards. As he reached for the handle, the door was suddenly thrown wide open to reveal Jek in his slamm gear.

"Jek!" Tirinia said at the abrupt appearance of the idestan prince, "What's wrong?"

"The Galden Security Force!" he panted. "They're here … in Muonsol. Grabbed Kevin and Jade, tried to get me."

Tirinia and Mikaen exchanged glances, the same thought going through their heads: Mixe hadn't been lying.

"What about Teria and Jeronem?" Mikaen asked. "Did they catch them too?"

Jek shook his head, still trying to catch his breath. "No sign. They must've been captured; I only got away because I still had my gear on from practice."

"Tirinia, see if you can contact Teria on her phone. As for Jeronem-"

Someone knocked on the door to Mikaen's room. Everyone immediately froze, Tirinia with her phone halfway to her ear.

A muffled voice called out, "Sir Mikaen! The Cygros wishes to speak with you immediately!"

"Maybe they caught him by surprise." Mikaen murmured, but he didn't believe it. Jeronem had been right; Jyle was working with Ronisgald, maybe even the Revs. The very thought made Mikaen nauseous.

Tirinia rubbed his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mikaen. I know you're your friend."

"Maybe he had a good reason; maybe he's under duress or the rest of his family's being held hostage. Ultimately, I guess it doesn't matter." Mikaen blasted the control pad with a burst of electricity. "Grab your gear. We're gonna bust outta here."

"Out of here?" Jek said, startled. "What do you mean out of here? Where are we going to go?"

Tirinia's ears twitched. Her phone still in her hand, she said, "Either of you hear that?"

Mikaen strained his ears, but heard nothing but the speaker outside the door repeating himself.

"It's coming from outside." Tirinia motioned for the others to follow and rushed back out onto the balcony.

Outside, Mikaen listened for the sound again; this time he was just barely able to make out a shrill whistle.

Tirinia looked around for a moment before pointing down at the distant garden. "There!"

Far below them, a lone figure was waving its arms up at them. One could barely make out the cat-like ears on top of the figure's head.

"Teria!" Tirinia exclaimed, her relief carrying over to Mikaen. "Teria, are you okay?"

Teria cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted something, but whatever she said was carried away by the night's strong wind.

"We need to get down there." Without waiting for a response, Jek leapt from the balcony. Blue light trailed from his boots as he seemed to run down the length of the tower and land lightly beside Teria.

Tirinia looked over the edge uncertainly. "Wasn't there supposed to be some kind protective shield keeping us from doing that?"

"Mixe." Mikaen said, the answer coming to him instantly. "He must've removed the field when he arrived."

The door to the room began to slide open. "Mikaen! Halt!"

"I'll get right on that." Mikaen grabbed Tirinia leapt over the railing.

The moment he hit the air, his wings spread open in anticipation of flight. He had only flown a few times, but each time left him breathless; the rush of wind through the feathers of his wings was practically intoxicating.

Mikaen angled his wings down and fell into a steadily descending glide. His heart raced all the faster as Tirinia hugged him tightly, her excitement matching his own.

He gave a few extra flaps of his wings to slow their descent once they were only a dozen or so feet from the ground and came to land lightly on the cultivated grass of the Muonsol Royal Gardens. They rushed down the stone path and over a quaint wooden bridge before spotting Teria and Jek.

"About time." Teria said, smiling despite her ruffled appearance. "C'mon! I've got a clear path to the-"

The words died in Teria's throat as the nearest doors leading into the palace burst open, revealing a small group of Galden and idestan soldiers.

"I got it!" Jek shot at the group, energy spheres in both of his guardian gauntlets. He smashed into the group like a bowling ball slamming into a set of pins.

Mikaen, Teria, and Tirinia rushed after Jek; with a few puffs of sleep dust, a few pinched nerves, and some well-placed low-power shocks, the entire group was out cold.

They didn't have much time to celebrate, however; more soldiers emerged from a nearby entry into the gardens.

"Keep moving! I'll catch up later!" Jek told Mikaen before rushing toward the next group.

Nodding, Mikaen started to lead the way only to be cut off by Teria.

"Nuh-uh. Stables won't work this time, and the chaser room's got enough ice to make even me think twice about hacking it. Jyle's dense, but he's not an idiot. Don't worry; I've got a plan."

"How reassuring." Tirinia muttered beneath her breath.

Teria stopped and looked at her sister. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. I'm sure this plan'll go over about as well as that time we snuck into the library and replaced all the political books with pornography."

Teria's tail lashed with annoyance. "Okay, I admit that plan could've used a little more finesse, but that uptight snob Tomka deserved it."

"Or the time we put all that gelatin powder in the Althaer Grotto fountains."

"Yeah, but that was really funny."

"Or how about the time you dragged me along as you instigated a brawl in Gavern's pub between those sourian merchants and that tauren and his wife?"

"How was I supposed to know they were the leaders of the Strand Saints?"

"Ladies!" Mikaen said, holding up his hands. "This sounds like a fun conversation, but could it wait until after we've escaped?"

Holding up her hands, Teria said, "Okay, okay! Just follow me, and I'll get us outta here!"

There was no more conversation; Teria led them through the palace to the docking area where Mikaen and company had arrived that morning. They had a few close scrapes with roving groups of guards, but Teria and Tirinia always heard them coming well in advance.

As they rushed toward the docking bay entrance, Teria said, "Give me a sec to hack the door."

She knelt down and had just started to connect her cyberdeck to the door's control mechanism when the door slid open, revealing two idestan guards. Mikaen and Tirinia both recognized them as the guards who escorted them to Mikaen's quarters earlier that day.

The guards raised their weapons. One of them said, "Sir Mikaen? You aren't supposed to be here!"

"We don't have time for this!" Teria said, but Mikaen stopped her from punching the nearest guard.

"Just let us pass." Mikaen said calmly. "The Galdens need not know you saw us."

The guard on Mikaen's right scoffed. "Yeah, they might get a bit suspicious when the Phoenix takes off. I can't pretend I like Galdens much, but I have my orders."

"Then pretend we knocked you out; say we fought our way past you."

"No deal."

"So you're just going to turn us over to them?" Teria said, a look of disgust on her face.

"I have my-" A blast of energy caught the guard in mid-chest. He had just enough time to look stunned before he collapsed to the floor, stunned.

The other guard lowered his weapon and stepped aside.

Mikaen looked at the man closely. "Thank you. Garrus, isn't it?"

He nodded. "It is, sir."

"Thank you." Tirinia said as her sister knelt by the door and hacked the lock. "But why are you helping us?"

"You rescued my little brother from the Galden when they set off that damn dragon. If there's one thing my father taught me, it was never to let a debt go unpaid." A small grin crossed his face. "That, and you're a hero; I don't understand what's going on here, but I know you're doing the right thing."

The door to the hanger slid open. Teria slipped through immediately, Tirinia following after giving Garrus another thankful nod.

As Mikaen started to walk through the door, he asked, "Come with us; we could always use another good man."

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't tempting, but I've got a wife and daughter here. Besides, I'm no hero; I'm just a guard."

"I understand." Mikaen put a hand on Garrus's shoulder. "Take care of yourself."

A burst of electricity rushed through Mikaen's hand, knocking Garrus out almost instantly. As Mikaen laid the guard near his compatriot, he said, "And for the record, you're hero enough in my book. Maybe this way, you'll be able to thank me again later."

Leaving the guard behind, Mikaen rejoined the Myssohn sisters and followed them through the vacated bay. There were a few tired-looking dock workers around, none of which seemed to care much about the sentient and two tigreth running past them.

"Apathy." Teria said with a grin. "Glad they're not paid enough to care about us."

Mikaen did a quick appraisal of the airships as they passed. Most of the inert vessels seemed to be for commercial use; they were covered with advertisements, some even having dormant screens on the side, no doubt made to display videos during flight. A few were civilian-owned; airships that were the equivalent of yachts.

"No good." Teria called back, no doubt noticing where Mikaen was looking. "Those tubs won't get us away from the Celestial or the Rev gulls. We need something bigger and faster."

"The Celestial?"

Teria jerked a thumb to her right side as they passed a modestly-sized but impressive-looking airship. It was obviously built for power as well as speed, and the silvery sheen of the hull made it all the more daunting.

"We're boosting the Celestial!" Tirinia said suddenly, as though she had only just come to the realization.

Teria chuckled. "No, sis; I could probably get us onboard, but I'd need days to get past all the encryption the Cygros installed. Don't worry; I've got a better plan."

As they continued on, Mikaen looked around for where they could possibly be headed. The Celestial was easily the best vessel they had passed, and there wasn't that much docking bay left. Other than the Phoenix and a few more air-yachts, there wasn't much more left to take.

Tirinia and Mikaen came to the realization simultaneously. "The Phoenix!"

Grinning, Teria said, "Now you got it."

"But … oh! Of course!" Tirinia said. "It's still just a prototype! It won't have a SIP or anything!"

"A SIP?" Mikaen asked curiously.

"Ship Identification Pulse. It's a tracking frequency; any vehicle capable of flight's supposed to have one, but the Phoenix doesn't have one installed yet. No security measures either; I checked during our ride back. Hacking her should be a cinch."

They reached the ramp that lead up to the Phoenix's cargo bay. Mikaen started to step on the ramp, but Teria held him back.

"She may not have had time to put in any normal security, but Shae's not an idiot; she's probably left a trap or two in case someone tried to steal her baby."

"Can you deactivate them?" Mikaen asked, feeling a bit nervous; some of the dock workers were watching them at that point and talking amongst themselves.

"Not a problem." Teria slowly began to creep up the ramp, her cyber-deck in hand. As she reached the top, she called out, "Yeah, I had a feeling; this'll take a minute or two for me to disable."

A sudden burst of static noise made Mikaen jump. It was coming from his belt; specifically, the radio he had used while stranded on the simmersill.

"Mikaen, are you there?" asked whoever was on the other end; it was hard to make out the voice through the static, but it sounded a little like Jek.

"That you, Jek?" Mikaen said, his eyes searching the bay for any signs of pursuit.

"Yeah; they've got me pinned in the Library."

"That's on the third floor!"

"It's been a rough night. Jade showed up and managed to get a few of them off my back, but I'm stuck here."

"Have you seen Jeronem?"

"Not yet, but Jade said the Galdens haven't found him either. I'd go look for him, but they've got me pinned down between the romance and historical fiction sections.

"Definitely an odd place to be." Mikaen said, "I'm on my way."

Tirinia grabbed his arm. "Mikaen!"

"I can't just leave Jek here!" He told her. "He's my friend! Our friend!"

"I know that." She said, her own inner turmoil mixing with his own. "But we don't know how many Galdens are here, or how many idestans are helping them. I'm sorry, Jek, but we can't risk it."

Mikaen was inclined to argue, but Jek cut him off. "Tirinia's right. You'd only get yourself caught too; I caught a security feed of you guys heading to the docking bay, and I think I know what you've got planned. Take off as soon as you can; I'll try to get out of the palace and try to -"

There was a loud crash from the other end of the transmission. "Get out of here as soon as she gets the ship running!" Jek shouted before the transmission cut off.

Mikaen stared at his communication device for a few moments, feeling numb. Jek was fast, but he was vastly outnumbered.

"He'll get away." Tirinia promised, hugging his arm comfortingly. "He's a good guardian."

"Yeah, and Jyle would never let them hurt his spawn." Teria said as she walked down the ramp. "Knocked out a few alarms and a nasty stasis trap. I think that's it, but I wouldn't recommend wandering of alone until I have a chance to go over the rest of the ship."

As they hurried up the ramp, Mikaen paused. They were leaving, Kevin, Jade, Jek, and Jeronem … even Benjamin, though Mikaen was pretty sure the mysterious human wasn't eager for another adventure. The thought of leaving so many of his team in enemy hands didn't sit well with him, especially after all they had been through.

"I don't like leaving them either." Tirinia said, taking his hand. "But if we stay, we'll only get caught as well. We have to go."

Mikaen turned and smiled reassuringly at Tirinia. "I know. I don't have to like it though."

The three of them rode the lift until it reached the bridge, Teria quickly slipping past the doors before they finished opening. Kneeling beside the modified Chaser, she said, "This'll take a few minutes. Tyr, could you see if you can get the external scanners working?"

Tirinia looked around the bridge, uncertainty in her eyes. "I'm not sure …"

One of the wall consoles flared to life. Not looking up, Teria said, "That one."

As Tirinia hurried over to the station, Mikaen asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

"Nothing here." Teria winced as she slid the interface cable into the port in the back of her neck. "I'll try to get us up and ready, but it'll probably take a few minutes to prepare for take-off. Might keep an eye out down in the cargo bay; I'd rather not have any stowaways if you catch my drift."

"Right. I'll call if someone turns up."

As he stepped inside the lift, Tirinia's voice whispered in his mind, "Be careful … cuddle-butt."

Mikaen smiled, a sense of resignation passing over him. "You too, cel'na."

Once he was back in the cargo bay, Mikaen took up position near the ramp, his eyes set to catch even the slightest motion. The Phoenix's engines were already making far too much noise to go unnoticed for long, even if Teria had cut the local security.

"Come on, Jek." Mikaen muttered. He wanted to help, but as much as he hated to admit it, the odds were stacked against the idestan prince. Still, he hoped that Jek would make it in time.

His heart lifted when he saw someone running through the docking bay toward the Phoenix, but as the person drew closer, Mikaen realized it wasn't Jek; it was Shae.

"Incoming." Mikaen breathed into his radio. "It's Shae."

"I'm on it." Teria replied. A moment later, the ramp began to rise.

Still running, Shae pulled out a small black device and waved it at the ramp, which promptly slammed back down.

As Shae started up the ramp, Mikaen stepped out from behind the barrels. "Shae, I'm sorry, but-"

"Can'tstoptotalkTeriaisn'ttakingintoaccounttheflightvariablesIneedtogettothebridge-" Shae said in one long mashed-together sentence as she rushed around Mikaen and hurried into the lift. Mikaen stared at the lift as the doors closed on the still-talking Shae.

"Hey!"

Mikaen turned to see Benjamin and Jeronem running through the dock, Galden soldiers chasing behind them.

"Son of a …" Mikaen jabbed his finger on the intercom button, "Teria, Shae, whoever's flying this ship needs to get moving now!"

Mikaen shot a few bursts of lightning at the approaching guards; not strong enough to actually hurt them, but more than enough to incapacitate them for a few minutes. Those that weren't stunned quickly took cover, which is exactly what Mikaen wanted.

The ship slowly began to rise. Mikaen hurried toward the end of the ramp.

"Come on!" He shouted to Jeronem and Benjamin.

Benjamin leapt onto the deck, but Jeronem was still a ways behind him. One quick look was all Mikaen needed to realize his best friend wasn't going to make it.

Mikaen shoved the intercom into Benjamin's hands. "You tell them to take off!"

"W-what?!" Ben stutted as Mikaen leapt from the ramp and hit the floor of the dock running.

Jeronem collapsed in his arms, wheezing. "Sorry, Mikaen. I guess shoulda warmed up first."

Turning back to the rapidly rising Phoenix, Mikaen ran toward the ramp with every ounce of strength he had.

With a final leap, Mikaen took to the air with Jeronem in tow, his wings beating frantically. The Phoenix was moving quickly now, but Mikaen just barely managed to land on the edge of the ramp. Benjamin caught him before he could fall off.

"Whoa! Easy!" Ben said before raising the comm disk. "Uh, he's back on board."

"I am understanding."

The ramp started to rise again, and not a moment too soon; the energy blasts from the soldiers chasing them impacted the plating of the Phoenix and the ramp.

"Is everyone all right?" Teria asked as the Phoenix continued to rise.

Mikaen let out a breath as he slumped against the nearest wall alongside Jeronem and Benjamin. "We're good, thanks. Shae?"

"I am being here."

"Get us out of here."

"I believe returning to Rimstak would be most advantageous-"

"Fine, Rimstak sounds fine. Just … away from here quickly."

As the thrum of the engines intensified, Jeronem asked, "Where's Jek?"


	11. Busting Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luck springs One during the Captain's distraction.

One was sick of staring at the ceiling of his cell. Sleep proved illusive, but that was hardly surprising under the circumstances.

"You still awake, boy?"

"What's up, Rayn?" One pushed himself up to find the ex-pirate captain sitting back in his own bunk, looking thoughtful.

"Just wondering how you were doing. You kinda caught the blitz earlier; that's enough to shake anyone."

"I'm not shaken. I'm just a little … surprised." One said.

"Surprised is when your friends throw you a party. Surprised is when you find out that indigestion your woman's been belly-aching about is a kid on the way. Your ex stole my command and my fleet to capture you and force you to take her back. Face it; you just got blitzed."

One tried to think of a reply, but the former captain was right; Ukaroh had thrown him for one heck of a loop.

"You looking for a way out?" Rayn asked.

One sat up. "Is there a way out?"

"Nope."

Rolling his eyes, One fell back against his cot, "Thanks a lot."

Rayn chuckled. "Always glad to help a fellow prisoner."

One stared up at the ceiling again. At least Mikaen and company made it to Muonsol. He didn't expect them to mount a rescue; how could they when they didn't even know where he was?

"Y'know, I'm curious." Garrote said. "What happened between you two?"

"Nothing I care to share."

"Oh, come now!" He chuckled, "We're both stuck here. It might even help to talk about it."

One let out a sigh. "It's not particularly complicated; we used to go out a long time ago. Then, one day, she walks up to me and asks if I want to go away for a while. I liked the idea of a vacation, but I had a dozen things I was juggling at the time. I asked her to wait until I finished up, but she was already halfway out the door. I went looking for her later, but-"

"She was gone, right?"

One nodded. "You guessed it. No note, no number, nothing. I only found what happened later."

"Well what happened?"

One opened his mouth to reply, only to have someone else reply for him. "She and Teach had a spat; she wanted to do as she pleased, and he wanted her to get in line. You ask me, they both acted like spoiled children."

Luck smiled at One from the other side of the bars. "You okay, sweetie?"

One scrambled to his feet. "Luck! Thank God, I-"

Something hit the deck and started running. One caught the barest glimpse of the tigreth boy running toward the lift. Luck flicked her wrist at the lift; the crack between the doors instantly vanished, leaving only a smooth expanse of metal.

Without missing a beat, the boy leapt up and grabbed the edge of an air vent. Luck made a run for him, but barely reached the vent in time to see the end of his tail vanish within.

Luck ran back to One. "I'm sorry, One, he-"

"That's okay." He said, "Can you open my cell?"

"Of course!" With a snap of her fingers, the light on the locking mechanism went from red to green. A moment later, the door slid open.

Stepping out of his prison, One promptly wrapped his arms around Luck and lifted her clear off the ground.

"Aaaah! Put me down, One!"

"Just wanted to let you know I'm glad you're here."

"I can tell." She said, laughing, "Now would you please put me down so we can escape?"

He set her back down and let her go, the strawberry scent of her perfume still lingering in his nostrils.

"Crazy." She shook her head at him, still smiling. Before she could say anything, however, a piercing siren shot through the deck.

"Damn." One muttered. "That kid moves fast."

Luck grabbed his hand. "Come on! We have to get you back to the Elsewhere!"

The CPD appeared at the end of the hall. Luck started to pull him toward it, but One resisted. "Wait! My friend, Rayn!"

"Don't worry about me." The tauren captain said. "You heard Cassie; I'll be out soon enough. You and your lady friend get moving!"

Luck reached the door first. She tried to yank it open, but it wouldn't budge. One tried to open it as well with the same result.

"The hell?" He exclaimed, still tugging on the door. "Since when has the CPD been locked?"

"Since Teach put a guard around the Elsewhere." Luck gave her forehead a whack. "Duh, Luck."

"Well, the lift is out." One said, looking around for possible exits. "And the vent's gonna be guarded at every opening once that boy tattles on us."

"I got it!" Luck started digging through a small pouch at her side. "I made a stop by Max's floor and grabbed a few things, just in case. Where is … aha!"

She pulled out what looked like a large floppy piece of black gelatin and threw it on the ground. The material instantly bonded to the floor and vanished, creating a hole in the deck.

"Portable hole." One said, impressed. "Good thinking. Ladies first?"

"If you insist." She said before shoving him forward.

He fell through the hole and landed beside a stack of crates, raising a cloud of dust in the process. Pulling his shirt up over his nose to keep himself from inhaling the dust, he started to move forward.

"Ahem!"

Glancing back up, he saw Luck looking down at him expectantly.

"Oh, right! Sorry." He held out his arms and caught her after she jumped through the deck.

Luck pecked him on the cheek as he set her on deck. "Thank you, sweetie."

They were in what must've been the cargo deck; there were crates and barrels all over the place. Most were made of some kind of thick insulated plastic material, but there were a few old-fashioned wooden barrels and crates as well.

Luck looked around for a few moments before pointing to a door on the other side of the bay marked by a bright orange 'emergency' sticker.

"Escape pods?" asked One.

"Maybe. We have to get off this ship, and with Teach guarding the CPD, the Elsewhere is out."

"Yeah, about that … he put a guard around the Elsewhere?"

"No, just around Vinta."

One was stunned. "But why?"

Luck smiled at him. "Because everything's not going according to his plan. Don't worry, sweetie; I've got your back."

They hurried across the cargo bay, and not a moment too soon; they could hear the clatter of footsteps on the deck above them, and it wouldn't take the Saints long to realize where One had gone.

Luck's eyes were on one as she reached for the doorknob, so she didn't notice the handle start to turn. Thinking fast, One pulled her to the side of the door moments before it slammed open. At least twenty pirates hurried out of the hatchway, followed by Cassie and Ukaroh.

"Fan out, everyone!" Ukaroh shouted stomping into the room. "They're in here, I'm sure of it."

Cassie gave her captain a curious look. "What makes you so sure?"

"Oh, they're here all right. I can smell the scent of pointless idealism mingled with imitation strawberry."

Luck's eyes went wide. She looked at One, who could only shrug at her unasked question. Ukaroh had never met Luck, having left the Elsewhere. While it wasn't exactly a massive leap of logic to assume One would escape with the assistance from a Dreamer, and the boy had no doubt described Luck, how could Ukaroh possibly know enough about Luck to recognize her perfume?

Ukaroh's eyes searched the cargo bay meticulously. One pulled Luck a little closer, hoping they were hidden well enough to avoid her notice.

"Come on, come on!" She snapped impatiently. "How hard can it be to find him? He doesn't have Headache or his powers!"

One shifted slightly at the mention of Headache. Ukaroh was right; he was in a bad spot without his powers, but without Headache he was practically helpless.

Luck rubbed his arm, flashing her rune meaningfully, but One shook his head; it had taken him a month to craft the guard on the tools so that no other Dreamer could fiddle with them.

On a whim, he tried to summon Headache, concentrating as he would if his powers were intact. Headache hit the center of the deck with a loud thud that made both One and Luck jump.

Ukaroh and her pirates spun about instantly. One knew she was no idiot; she knew where Headache had been hidden, she could see where Headache had materialized, and those two points made a clear line that gave away One and Luck's position.

He had only a fraction of a second to act, and he did so by leaping over the crate and running as fast as he could toward the twin Headache units.

Ukaroh was running forward in an instant; She didn't have a head start, but she was faster than One. She swept the units away just as One bent down to grab them.

"Ah-ah, One!" She taunted, waving Headache enticingly at him.

Without warning, the ship shook as though struck by something. Ukaroh staggered back, Headache slipping out of her grasp. One caught them before they hit the deck. Backpedaling to avoid Ukaroh's grasping hands, he slid his arms inside the units; inner cushioning clamped around his arm securely, he breathed a sigh of relief; he could replace his tek boots and he had a spare harness back on his floor, but Headache was the product of decades of tinkering and experimentation.

Ukaroh's eyes narrowed as he fell into a fighting stance, Luck now joining him. "You wanna play rough, huh? Well, that's fine with me."

She slipped her guitar off her back and flipped a small switch on the neck. The guitar let off a high-pitched whine as it began to draw strands of lifestream from the air and coil them around its neck.

One readied himself for the attack, but just as Ukaroh took a step forward, Cassie grabbed her arm. "Captain! The ship! We're under attack!"

For a moment, One honestly thought that Ukaroh was ready to let the ship be blasted to rubble before she'd let him go. She had always been more concerned with her goals than with collateral damage.

The airship shook with the force of another attack. Swearing, Ukaroh pointed her guitar at Luck. "Fine, I'll just kidnap him again later. You'd better keep him in one piece until then."

Turning to the others, she said, "Everyone, battle stations!"

The pirates and their captain entered the lift, leaving Luck and One in the clear. Just before the doors closed, Ukaroh gave One a wink.

"I'll see you soon." Her voice whispered in his thoughts.

"One?" Luck asked, pulling on his arm, "We've gotta go."

"Hang on; I'm still missing my harness and my Tek-boots."

"Will they only respond to you too?"

"No, but-"

Luck snapped her fingers. Instantly, his tek boots and Impulse harness appeared in a pile on the ground beside him.

One hurriedly slipped the gear on. As Headache interfaced with the makeshift exoskeleton, One breathed a sigh of relief. He may not have had his Dreamer abilities, but at least he wasn't powerless anymore.

"All right!" He said, smashing his hands together to make a satisfying clank, "Let's get outta here!"

Shudders ran through the ship as Luck and One rushed through the door to the bay on the bottom deck. There was a long catwalk that ran between at least forty ships, two-man crafts that looked more like fighter vessels than escape pods.

"They look like short-range fighters." One commented. "Think we can get to Muonsol on these?"

Luck shook her head. "We're not going to Muonsol; we're going to Rimstak. The other Dreamers are waiting on us."

One gave her an odd look. "We need to go check on Mikaen …"

"Mikaen's fine!" Luck snapped. She immediately looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, One, it's just … with Ukaroh and all …"

One put his hands on Luck's shoulders and made her look at him. "What I had with her is over, Luck. I promise."

"And Teria?" Luck asked, her eyes searching his.

"Teria … is my friend. As long as I'm with you, that's all she'll be."

Luck bowed her head. One moved to kiss her, but she moved away. "You don't have to push the white knight act on me, One; if you still have feelings for her, I need to know."

One met her gaze again. He wanted to tell her that he only had feelings for her, but it was a lie. Everything that had happened in Ronisgald had kicked up old memories. She deserved the truth.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't still like her, but-"

Another shudder shook the ship, this one strong enough to make Luck stumble. One caught her and held her steady until the shaking passed, his tek-boots helping him remain steady.

"Okay, maybe now's not a good time for this." One said.

"You may be right."

They hurried to the nearest ship. As they drew near, the cockpit slid open at Luck's wave.

"You drive." Luck said as she climbed into the back seat.

Shrugging, One slipped into the pilot's seat and pulled the cockpit hatch shut. The ship's computer activated moments after the hatch locked into place. After a quick glance at the controls, he reached for the twin flight-sticks.

"Seat belt." Luck said, pulling her own into place.

"Right." One fumbled with his belt. It was hard with Headache's bulk on his arms, but he eventually managed to click the buckles into place. "All right, seat belt secured. Preparing ship for launch.

The ship tilted down toward a large hatch. The hatch opened, revealing a blue expanse of the Myriad Abyss.

"Flight systems engaged, kinetic barrier engaged, weapon systems online." One nodded. "Good to go. Luck?"

"Let 'er go, One!"

Taking a deep breath, One hit the release button.

With a stomach-lurching lurch, the ship fell through the open hatch.

The wings of the fighter extended once they were free of the ship. Thrusters flared to life at One's command, leveling the ship off from its steep dive and giving One a good view of the pirate fleet.

One couldn't help but let out a chuckle when he recognized the vessel attacking the Saints. "I should've known."

The Saints fleet was swarming around a large airborne Spanish Galleon flying the Jolly Roger. Even though they were far from the ship, One could spot the bright red of Captain Morgan's hat as he steered the stately vessel recklessly through the pirate fleet.

"Thanks again or the save, Captain." One whispered before turning the pod from the battle. "Now, which way to Rimstak?"

A map of Vinta appeared on his viewscreen. According to the map, the pod's position was just off the coast of Ircandesta. A few moments later, the northernmost continent began to glow red.

"Okay then." One said, grateful for the navigational computer, "Set a course."

"Warning!" The computer said, "Fuel reserves insufficient for chosen destination. Confirm flight course?"

"Don't worry about it." Luck told him, tousling his hair. "I'll keep the tank topped off."

Nodding, One said, "Destination confirmed."

With a brief burst of thrusters, their ship shot away from the Saints fleet and the S.S. Popehat.


	12. In-Flight Entertainment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teria discovers the Phoenix has a few unexpected stowaways, while One and Luck struggle through a storm.

Mikaen rested his hands on the guard rails of the main deck and watched as the palace faded swiftly into the distance. It felt good to feel the wind through his hair and wings, especially now that Shae had finished installing the wind buffer. Still, Mikaen would've enjoyed it more had he not just stolen an airship to break out of what he had thought to be a safe haven.

Tirinia rubbed his arm, her thoughts similarly caressing his own. "You okay?"

He wanted to reassure her that he was fine, but he was sure she'd see through him. He fought to find the words for a few moments before giving up and letting his hands fall to the rail.

She rubbed his shoulder. "I'm sure Jek got out okay."

"You kidding? He'll probably beat us there. Truth be told, I'm more worried about breaking out of Muonsol. I can't believe it turned out like this."

After a few moments of silence, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm sure Jyle has his reasons. Maybe his family's being held hostage."

"I don't know; in the old days, no one could ever pull one over on Jyle. He always seemed to know every move Syrin made before she even told me."

"Maybe he's grown soft as he's matured."

Mikaen chuckled. "He may be older, but nothing I've seen makes me think he's any more mature."

Tirinia laughed as well. "If you trust him, then I'm sure there's an explanation."

He looked at her as she slid her hand beneath his. Smiling, he pulled her to his side and kissed her tenderly.

"Thanks, Tyr."

"Anytime, my love." She took his hand and rubbed it against her cheek. "C'mon."

"Time for bed?"

"Among other things."

He didn't resist as she pulled him toward the lift.

Teria sat back from the console with a loud sigh. "That's it; I'm changing rooms."

"What? What's wrong?" Shae asked, her body tensing.

Teria tossed the earpiece onto the console. "They're heading back to their quarters. I get they're bonded, but they were at it for hours last night."

"I am not understanding the …" Shae paused and said, "You are rooming near them?"

"Yeah, next to the quarters Tirinia's never gonna use. I thought I was being supportive, but from the sounds of it, she's got plenty of support as it is."

Shae chuckled from her perch on the modified chaser/pilot seat. "There is not being any shortness of empty rooms, so feel free to locate a more quiet location, as I am feeling your time on the Phoenix may be signifigant."

"Which brings me to my earlier question." Teria slowly spun her chair around until she was facing Shae. "Why did you help us escape?"

"I did not help you escape." Shae corrected. "I merely am having made sure that you didn't crash my expensive prototype vessel with your clumsiness."

"Uh-huh." Teria crossed her arms. "C'mon, Shae; why're you really here? Did the Cygros ask you to spy on us?"

"I am of Rimstak!" Shae said stiffly. "I am not following the orders of Ircandesta now or ever!"

Teria raised an eyebrow at Shae. "So you're just here to take care of the ship. You do realize what we're trying to do, right?"

"Indeed. You are wanting to be discovering the Revs and their true intentions. Am I being correct?"

"Well, yeah. Thing is, I doubt they'd make a distinction between you and us if we're riding in the same ship."

"Which is why we are going to Rimstak. Not only will I be capable of modifying and improving this vessel, My father will not be tolerating these Revs, not with the information you've provided. We may not be having an army, but we are having plenty of robots and drones. Even the gulls could not be hoping to even approach matching the skill and power of our air force."

"What are you going to tell your father about us?"

Shae pursed her lips. "I am having difficulty with this prolonged conversation coupled with flying. Can you not be bothering someone else instead?"

"Okay, fine." Annoyed, Teria walked over to the lift. Just before she got in, a gentle beeping sounded from one of the forward consoles.

"Incoming transmission. Can you be getting that, Teria?" Shae asked.

"Make Benjamin get it." Teria said irritably.

"I'd rather not, if it's all the same." Benjamin replied, his cheeks a little red. "I'm still kinda new to this whole Vinta thing. Don't want to risk a diplomatic incident, right?"

"Ugh, Fine." She shook her head and walked over to the console. As soon as she pressed the blinking red button, a loud burst of static shot from the console speakers.

"Gah!" She fumbled with the controls until she figured out how to turn the volume down. "One more time?"

"I repeat; am I speaking to an officer of the Phoenix?"

"Oh, no … I am NOT going to be the communications officer of this bucket!"

"Hey!"

Teria gave Shae an apologetic look. "Er, sorry, Shae."

"But this is the Phoenix?" persisted the voice on the other end of the transmission.

"Maybe." Teria said. "Who is this?"

"This is Thomas Windstar, President of Jai Vye!"

Teria gave the intercom an incredulous look. "Yeah, and I'm King Calliban."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Are you transmitting visually?" Shae asked.

"Yes! Who is-"

"Use the vidscreen transmit channel." Shae said. "It's the round blue button."

"All right." Shrugging, Teria pressed the button.

The view of the clear skies vanished, only to be replaced with an image of a gruff man with a respectable beard and feathered wings. Teria had only met him a few times, but she recognized him as Jai Vye's president, mostly from his resemblance to Kajex.

"Daughter Myssohn." Thomas said, his tone serious. "I'm looking to speak with your leader. Mikaen, was it?"

"My leader?" She said in mock outrage. "I'm tigreth; you think I'd listen to some pretty boy with wings?"

Thomas's tan face flushed. "I know you work with Mikaen, Miss Myssohn. Cygros Cressia has shown me proof that you were aiding his escape."

"Work is a subjective term. He's engaged to my sister, and I'm helping her out. Now why are you bothering me?"

"You kidnapped my sons."

Teria laughed. "Cute. Seriously, what's up?"

Thomas rubbed his forehead a moment, obviously trying hard not to lose his temper. "I am not joking."

A sliver of unease began to slide into Teria's mind. "Look, I know I've been something of a troublemaker since … well, since ever, but I seriously don't know what you're talking about."

"Then why haven't they been seen since your departure from Muonsol? You did steal an airship."

"Yeah, because the Cygros had Mikaen and my sister imprisoned. Besides, can you really say we stole it when Shae is right here?"

"Can we be leaving me out of the discussion?" Shae said, her cheeks red.

"Even if we had stolen it, that doesn't mean we went and kidnapped anyone. Sorry, Prez, but I really don't know where-"

The lift doors slid open, revealing a disheveled Maxim. He walked onto the bridge rubbing his eyes and muttered, "Is breakfast ready yet?"

Teria's jaw went slack.

Thomas's brow furrowed. "Max? Is that you, boy?"

"Dad?" Maxim replied, blinking at the screen.

Without thinking, Teria slammed her fist on the disconnect button.

Benjamin stared at her, a shocked expression on his face. "Teria!"

"It was reflexive." Teria said defensively.

Maxim looked at both of them, clearly not comprehending what had happened. "Uh, what's going on? What did my dad want?"

Teria and Benjamin glanced at each other, both at a loss. A few moments later, the gentle tone began to sound again from the communication panel.

"By the Creator." Teria said. "Now what? Should we answer?"

"Well, we can't just ignore him!" Benjamin hissed. "He sounded kinda important!"

Maxim held up his hands to stay further conversation. "Hang on a sec; what the heck's going on? Why are we airborne? Why did you hang up on my dad?"

"Hang on a sec." Teria tapped the answer button on the console and said, "We're experiencing technical difficulties. Please call back in about an hour."

"An hour?! Let me see my s-"

Teria hung up on him again. Instead of turning back to Maxim, she activated the intercom. "Mikaen and Tirinia to the bridge; sorry to interrupt, but we've got a problem."

"Problem? Whoa!" Maxim raised his hands. "I'm no problem. I just want to know what's going on?"

Sighing, Teria said, "We sorta busted out of Muonsol."

Surprisingly non-plussed, Maxim said, "Cool. So, any chance of breakfast? Hell, I'll take corn flakes if that's all we've got."

Teria gave him a strange look. "You're taking this rather well."

"Eh, Muonsol was boring since Lya went back home. Besides, I kinda like the idea of investigating these Revs. Mikaen seems like an all-right kinda guy, and he did rescue us from the bastards."

The incoming communication tone sounded again. Teria hung up on the call before turning back to Maxim. "What about your brother? He around too?"

"He's still sleeping. Kajex's always been a bit of a night owl, so to speak."

"Would either of you be willing to tell your father we didn't kidnap you? Y'know, so he doesn't send the Jai Vye's army after us?"

Maxim shrugged, looking nonchalant. "Sure thing."

Teria stepped aside so Maxim could use the communications panel. They waited patiently for the siren to go off again, but the console remained silent.

"Maybe I should just call him." Maxim was just starting to reach for the controls when the communication tone sounded again, much to Teria's relief.

Maxim tapped the receive button and said, "Hey dad. Listen, don't worry about Kajex and-"

"I beg your pardon?" The face of a man with tan skin and a respectable beard looked back at him with no small amount of confusion.

Before Teria could ask who it was, Shae said, "Father? Is that you?"

"It most certainly is, my dear daughter. I must confess, I didn't expect to see you or the Phoenix back in Rimstakken airspace for at least a week. Does this have anything to do with Cygros Cressia's demand that I have you return to Muonsol?"

"That is a matter of complication." Shae said delicately. "May we discuss it when we arrive?"

If anything, Shae's father looked highly amused. "I look forward to it. Fly safe, my daughter."

"I will, father. Be giving mother a sign of my affection."

As the screen deactivated, Teria said, "Well, that was easy. Anyway, back to Mister Windstar."

"It is being of no use." Shae told her. "If we are receiving a message from Rimstak, we are being too close to use the current communications array."

Teria snorted. "You're kidding. You have to be; he JUST called us!"

"Yes, and in that time, we are having passed into the identification grid. Granted, the elder Windstar is no doubt contacting the nearest relay station, but with no transponder or SIP on the Phoenix, the odds of receiving his call are being insignificant."

"Ugh." Teria rubbed her temples. "I hope Mikaen gets here soon."

"Indeed. He will no doubt be wanting to behold our arrival into Rimstak."

The main viewscreen activated again, this time showing the approaching continent of Rimstak. To the eyes of an outsider, it looked as though a sizeable chunk of the desert continent had attempted to fly away, only to be tethered to the main continent via massive chains. While cities and towns could be seen across the desert, the heaviest population was obviously on the floating island itself; even from a distance, Teria could see that it was completely covered with buildings and machinery.

Rimstak is quite literally in constant motion, particularly the floating continent; its spinning gears and stretching springs interlaced perfectly with plasma relays and stream generators in a mismatch of varying technological levels. Short, stubby trees grew all over the floating island on anything that remained motionless long enough, though it is not uncommon to see plants coiled around a hydraulic component or on a spinning cog.

Teria had seen it before, of course, but it never ceased to amaze her. She was still admiring the scene when the lift opened, revealing a slightly disheveled-looking Mikaen and Tirinia.

"Thank the Creator." Teria said, hurrying over to greet them. "Listen, we've got some trouble; apparently the Windstar boys-"

She stopped talking as Kajex stepped out of the lift after Mikaen and Tirinia. He was sporting a purple bruise on his cheek, a cut on his chin, and a dour expression on his face.

"Yeah." Mikaen said, blushing. "We bumped into each other."

"Ah. Never mind then." Shaking her head, she said, "Well, if that's settled, we just passed into Rimstak."

"Really?" Mikaen hurried toward the viewscreen, Tirinia following behind with a look of bemusement.

As Mikaen and Tirinia joined Benjamin in enjoying the view, Teria edged over to Kajex and asked, "So, you okay with all this?"

"Why do you think we slept on the airship? Anyone with half a brain would've realized Mikaen was going to try and escape, and I know you've already snuck a dozen backdoors into the ship's programming."

"You can prove nothing." She said with a grin.

Kajex winced as a smile crossed his face.

"You should go get Suzy to patch you up." She said, "Wow. He really did a number on you, huh?"

"Let's just say I learned never to sneak up on a Knight of the Star."

"Amazing!" Benjamin said as Kajex took a seat, "The chains really keep the continent form floating away?"

"Yes, and the bubble around Jai Vye will pop if someone sticks it with a pin." Maxim said with a chuckle.

"That is just being a common myth." Shae told Mikaen. "One thousand and seventy-three gravity tethers, seventeen-hundred repulsor drives, and fifty seven zero-mass generators set up strategically across the Shineside keep it afloat. The chains are just for decoration."

"Shineside?" Mikaen asked curiously.

"The floating continent." Tirinia said. "The lower contient's called Shadeside."

Teria tapped Mikaen on his shoulder to get his attention. "Look, I hate to interrupt, but we've still got the matter of the Windstars. We just got a message from Windstar senior, and he thinks we kidnapped them."

"Right." Mikaen tore his gaze away from the viewscreen and turned to address Kajex. "Can you contact your father to let him know you're okay?"

"Not at the moment." Shae answered before Kajex could reply. "All communications are closely monitored. We will have to postpone communications until after we land."

"Why are communications monitored?" Benjamin asked curiously. "Terrorists?"

"Corruption." Tirinia answered, surprising everyone except Teria, who was well aware of her sister's encyclopedic knowledge of the Glyche and the Kindred.

Shae nodded approvingly. "Correct. The protocols are being in place for excess of a century to enable potential Corruptions to be dealt with swiftly. When I finish registering the Phoenix, we will being of better position to accept directed communications; for now, we will have to wait."

"I see." Mikaen said, sounding a little dazed.

Tirinia giggled and squeezed his arm. "I'm sorry, Mikaen; I keep forgetting you're not from Vinta. A Corruption is an outbreak of malicious Glyche technology. Transversion cells, computer viruses, core units … nasty stuff."

"Core units?"

"Androids built by the Glyche." Shae said. "Core units alone were responsible for over half the deaths during the original Corruption. It is being why robots and other artificial life and intelligence is viewed by many with distrust."

"Which is why you were worried about Suzy." Mikaen said, nodding at Teria.

"Suzy is a member of the crew." Shae paused for a moment and said, "Nevertheless, I would suggest from mentioning her to anyone on Rimstak. Obfuscation of the truth is not necessary, of course; simply do not be mentioning it. She is certainly not being a core unit after all."

"Core units, man. Reminds me of movie night at the Center. We used to have a BattleTek marathon at the end of the year." Seeing Mikaen's curious glance, Maxim added, "I know they're corny flicks, but hey; what's better than a corny movie to riff on with friends?"

"Worth a watch?" Mikaen asked, looking to Tirinia, who nodded in agreement.

Shaking her head at the prospect of even more screaming coming from her future brother-in-law's room, Teria turned to Maxim and said, "Sorry about the inconvenience, guys. Hopefully your father won't declare war on us in the meantime."

"Pops? Nah. Well … nah."

Teria glared at Maxim. "Thanks for that."

Maxim clapped Mikaen on the back between his wings. "Well, since we're still a few hours away, who's up for some breakfast?"

"It's almost midnight." Teria said.

Maxim shrugged. "Late-night breakfast?"

"'It's just a little storm' you said." One muttered as he fought to maintain a grip on the fighter's controls.

Luck shot him a glare. "All right, so I made one little mistake! Like you're perfect!"

It wasn't really Luck's fault; the storm had crept up on them. One moment, the skies were mostly clear. The next, dark clouds surrounded them. If One hadn't been busy trying to keep the fighter in the air, he might have found the situation slightly suspicious. Still, they were passing near the Cleftan Region. One had endeavored to stay far enough away from the continent to avoid any potential bad weather, but evidently he hadn't gone far enough.

A blast of lightning crackled uncomfortably close to the fighter. One veered away reflexively, nearly steering the fighter into another burst of lighting.

A protective field burst to life around the craft, protecting it from the lightning, the faintest sign of the Anti-ka Maru visible on its side.

"It's okay, One." Luck said, her rune glowing. "I've got our backs."

"Just be careful; the last thing we need is for you to lose your powers too."

As another bolt of lightning flashed nearby, One shook his head. "We can't fly through this. Luck, can you boost the power enough for us to get above the storm?"

"I'll try. Hold on!"

The fighter shot forward as though some unseen giant's foot had given it a good kick. One held the controls tightly as the fighter shot upwards.

"Any sign of the storm letting up?" He asked, trying hard to ignore the fact that the craft was shuddering under the strain.

"Can't tell. Sensors are completely whacked out because of the storm."

"Perfect." One said.

After a few moments of relative silence, Luck asked, "One, about Teria."

"Really not a good time." One narrowly dodged another bolt of lightning.

"I know, it's just … I can't help but feel …"

A burst of wind caught the wings of the craft. One swerved just a little too sharply in an attempt to straighten the craft, sending the fighter into a barrel roll.

"Dammit! Hang on!" One struggled with the controls for a moment, trying to ignore the spinning sensation enough to bring the craft out of the roll. After a few moments, he managed to level the craft and resume their ascent.

"Sorry about that." He told Luck. "Crosswind. You were saying something?"

"Never mind." She replied sheepishly. "I'll let you concentrate on flying."

After a few minutes, the lightning strikes seemed less frequent, and usually sounded as though they were below the ship. Perhaps it was One's imagination, but it looked like the clouds were going at least a shade lighter. With piloting the fighter growing easier, he let out a sigh.

"Looks like we might be coming out of it." One said, "Look, I'm not gonna lie to you, Luck; I do still have feelings for Teria. I probably always will, especially now that we're friends again. I remember those days, and … and I wonder how my life would've been if I stayed."

He paused to correct his course after a sudden gust shifted his trajectory. "We'd be married, eloped probably, given her parent's opinion of me at the time. Hell, we might have ended up Alex's neighbor. I'd still be a Dreamer, but would I have joined the Elsewhere? I don't know."

Shaking his head, he tried to ignore the rising heat in his cheeks as he said, "But the thing is, I feel the same about you. You're my friend, and what I feel around her, I feel just as strongly around you. I don't feel stuck with you now that I remember what I had with Teria, Luck; I want us to be together just as much as I did after the fight with the Breath of Fire. I chose you, and I don't regret that one bit."

As seconds passed with only the driving rain and the occasional distant thunder to interrupt the silence, One fleet his embarrassment grow. "Please say something. Anything."

After a few more moments passed without a response, One glanced back only to find the chair behind him was empty.

One's eyes widened. "What? Where did-"

A bolt of lightning slammed against the fighter's shields, rocking the craft. One quickly returned his gaze to his controls and tried to force down the panic now coursing through him.

"Okay, One; keep calm; first thing is to slow down before the ship breaks apart." He pulled back on the throttle, slowing the fighter's ascent until the ship stopped shuddering.

Breathing a little easier, he said, "Okay, next, I need to-"

A loud alarm interrupted him. Looking down at the controls, he realized that his energy reserves were at less than half. Luck had been periodically restoring the ship's power, but pushing the engines past their limit and keeping the shields up were draining it quickly.

"Really wish she would've topped me off before abandoning me." One said beneath his breath. In truth, didn't really think she left him intentionally, not after the trouble she went to helping him escape Ukaroh. Still, it was hard to explain away her disappearance when he was likely to end up a pile of ground meet and shrapnel.

He was, however, about to get a bit of tremendously good news from the fighter's sensor array. Though the sensors were a bit twitchy due to the storm, they were able to confirm a land mass to the northeast of his position.

"Oh, thank God!" He said fervently as he turned the craft toward the landmass. He couldn't see any buildings, but at that point, he'd gladly land the fighter anywhere, civilization or no. He strained his eyes to see through the storm. It may have been his imagination, but he thought he could just make out trees in the distance.

"Always a good sign." He told himself as he began to slow the craft further in preparation of a crash landing.

Another blast of lightning hit the fighter, this time disabling the shields altogether. Without the shields to protect it, the fighter was blown about like a leaf in a hurricane. One was barely managing to maintain control when another blast of lightning hit the ship. One braced himself for some kind of damage, but the fighter's hull simply absorbed and dispersed the lightning normally.

"Huh." He said as the fighter continued forward. "Guess it would make sense for it to be well insulated."

He pulled back on the controls to angle the nose of the fighter slightly, but the fighter didn't respond. The controls seemed to be stuck.

A quick glance explained the problem; the controls were flickering on and off; insulated or not, the lightning must've fried the controls.

"Oh, son of a …" One pounded his fist against the console, shouting, "Come on you piece of crap! Work!"

The fighter did respond, though not in the way One had hoped; some electrical malfunction inside the ship's circuitry activated the thrusters. The fighter shot forward at full speed as One clutched at the controls, his eyes wide with terror.

A dark shape that could have been a tree or a mountain for what little One could make out smashed the fighter's right wing off, sending the fighter into a spin. One fought to remain calm, but the rapid spinning was already making him dizzy.

"Ejection seat; where is the-" He stopped; the world was swimming in his eyes; a bright light seemed to come out of nowhere, only for a sudden impact to bring everything back to darkness.


	13. Trouble in Dreamland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One fixes some problems in the Dream Realm before waking up and finding an old friend he hasn't met yet.

Glen drove the chaser in relative silence. He could feel Teria's warmth against his chest as he guided them through the night-shrouded canyon. She had been asleep for a few hours now, and deservedly so; she had driven for almost two straight days before Glen finally insisted she get some rest.

When they reached the outskirts of Meekos and pulled into the parking lot of the junk shop where she had bought the puzzle box, he almost couldn't bring himself to wake her up. She looked so peaceful. Almost unconsciously, he rubbed the soft fur of her cheek, his mind on her confession. He found himself thinking about it a lot … about her a lot.

"Mmm." She raised her head slowly and peered up at him with bleary eyes. "Glen? We there?"

"Yeah. If you're tired, we can come back later in the day."

"No!" She paused before repeating in a calmer voice, "No, let's get this done."

They walked into the junk shop, where the owner was just setting up for the day.

"Ah, hello again." He said, flashing them a smile. "You two back again, huh?

"There was a problem with the puzzle box." Teria said, approaching the man.

He raised his hands. "Whoa, there. I made it perfectly clear that all sales are f-"

Teria grabbed the idestan by his shirt and pulled him over the counter. "A puzzle box with two magical artifacts just happens to be sitting in your junk shop, huh?"

"I told you, I picked it up a few years ago from a gal in Kell."

"Yeah? Tell me more about this 'gal'!"

The shopkeeper looked to Glen for help, but Glen just shook his head.

Beads of sweat were forming on the idestan's forehead. "Look, she said she was a sorceress, okay? She was selling off some of her father's old things and that box was just one of the things!"

"What was her name?" Teria demanded.

"Ackibar! Genevive Ackibar!"

To Glen's surprise, Teria dropped the shopkeeper and immediately walked out of the store. Glen hurried after her.

She was already on the chaser. "C'mon; let's go."

"Where are we going now?" He asked.

"To the Center in Muonsol. I've got a hunch about this Ackibar woman I need to itch, and a quick look through the magi registry is just the scratch I need."

"And if the Center won't help us?"

"Oh, they will, one way or the other." She said grimly as he sat down behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'll fix this Glen. I promise."

As the memory faded, One found himself once again sitting beneath his oak tree. He stared out at the twilight sky, his mind a jumbled mess. It wasn't just being knocked out or the renewed memories; something felt … different.

"Did I die?" He wondered as he watched fallen leaves rise from the grass and reattach to the tree. The idea that heaven was just eternity in the Dream Realm definitely had appeal. It would be nice to no longer have to run around in the mainstream, frantically trying to fix the universe. He could even continue his relationship with Luck.

A pair of small red eyes peered over the edge of his shoe. One moved his foot and found himself looking at a little green … thing. It had a vaguely humanoid body, a tiny pair of wings, and a head reminiscent of an octopus. It might have been a frightening sight if the creature was more than a foot tall and was covered in scales or horns instead of soft green fur.

"And who might you be?" One asked the little fellow.

It mumbled something that One couldn't make out before handing him a plain envelope with the words, "To Narrator Number One" written on the front.

One opened the message and read it aloud:

Dear One,

If you're reading this, my faithful friend and nixil, CthuBob, has delivered this message to your hands. While Teach made me promise not to interfere with your mission, I nevertheless felt it important to touch base with you as to your brother and sister Dreamer's activities.

Teach has put a guard around Vinta, making it nearly impossible for any of us to assist you … or so he thinks. Several of us have discovered ways past the guard with the express purpose of providing assistance, if needed. If you are reading this, I would request that you meet us at the Glamdring Café in Rimstak (1003 Meadoss Lane, Penumbra district, Shineside). From there, we hope to discuss this situation in detail and perhaps help you and Mikaen until such time that your powers return.

CthuBob has volunteered to assist you in the dream realm, and will remain at your disposal for the time being; you'll find him a unique and skillful companion. Do not be alarmed if he turns up when and where you least expect it.

Good luck, and stay safe my friend.

-Alan T. Tryth

One looked up from the paper to the eager face of CthuBob, who smiled at him. Granted, One didn't recognize it as a smile, but he was smiling nonetheless; when one's mouth is made of tentacles, smiling is a bit … different.

"CthuBob." One said in a flat tone.

CthuBob stood at attention and saluted One.

One stared a moment longer before shaking his head. "I guess I can deal with that. So … CthuBob. What's our agenda today? If you came from Alan, you probably already know that I just crashed in the mainstream."

CthuBob fell to the ground and stuck out his purple tongue, as though he were pretending to be dead. After a few seconds, however, he opened his eyes and made a show of stumbling to his feet.

"So I'm not dead."

CthuBob ambled around as though he was sore.

"Ah, well; I guess some bruising is to be expected." One said, feeling a little better knowing that he survived the crash relatively unscathed.

As he opened his mouth to ask another question, a furry blue ball with wings collided with the side of his head.

"Ow!" One rubbed the side of his head and looked balefully at Nixil. "Watch it!"

"Oh! One! Solarion's grace!" Nixil clamped onto One's shoulders, his wings batting a few times as he regained his balance. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Why?" One said, a little alarmed at whatever had Nixil worked up to the point that he had forgotten to insult One, "What's up?"

"There's another break, this time in Paena. It's big, too." Nixil's gaze fell on CthuBob. His eyes narrowed. "What is he doing here?"

"Alan sent him to lend me a hand. Cute little fella, isn't he?"

Nixil continued glaring as CthuBob waved cheerily at him.

One pushed himself off the ground. "Okay, let's get this mess in Paena fixed up. No telling how much longer I have in the Dream Realm."

CthuBob raised his tiny furry hands and made 'neh!' sound. Grinning, One picked up the little creature and set him on his shoulder, saying, "Get comfy, little guy. We're gonna be going real fast."

Cthubob climbed around One's shoulders and grabbed two bits of One's hair like some sort of rein. He flicked it a few times, his tiny red eyes alight.

Nixil looked hurt. "You never carried me around."

"You never asked. Are we going to Paena or not?"

With a sigh, Nixil took to the sky, One following shortly afterwards. They breezed through the Twilight, flying past the great plains of the Wanderlands and the forest of Theros before finally reaching the city of Paena.

Paena wasn't the largest city of the Dream Realm, but it was a bustling place, filled with all manner of activity. An intricate maze of buildings and aerial walkways, Paena was known for being the birthplace of the Shining Force, a brave organization of nixils, wanderers, and even a few Dreamers who kept the Dream Realm safe.

As One and Nixil flew between skyscrapers, One said, "There's no way this could be connected to the break I made in the Wanderlands, right?"

When Nixil didn't answer right away, One asked again, "Right, Nixil?"

"I don't know, man. We don't really have a lot of info on what happens when a Dreamer gets normed. Maybe it was some kind of butterfly effect. Maybe something else slipped through the first rift and did this. Whatever the cause, it's here now, and no one here knows how to fix it."

One spotted the hole moments later, as they flew over one of the city parks; Nixil hadn't been exaggerating on the size of the break; it was easily the size of a single-story house. Several nearby nixils eyed the break worriedly; fortunately, several knights of the Shining Force were guarding the perimeter, preventing anyone from getting too close. One of the knights, a tall strong fellow with an owl-like beak and a set of brown wings, snapped to attention the moment One touched the ground.

"Sir Lawrence Pelinor, Knight Captain of Giagrore Squad." The owl-man said, "I'm glad to see you, Narrator Number One. Folks have been getting a bit antsy since the break first appeared."

"Was it always this big?" One asked, staring curiously at the massive break.

Sir Pelinor shook his head. "The first eyewitnesses say it was the size of a golf ball when it first appeared. When my squad arrived, it was already the size of a small shed. It seems to be growing bigger by the minute."

One nodded; secretly, the strange appearance and growth bothered him. The one in the Wanderlands was a result of a momentary surge of power; this break almost seemed to be the result of someone trying to break through the boundary between the mainstream and the Dream Realm. It should have been impossible for a norm, but if the norm had help from a Dreamer or a particularly strong Sleeper ….

One shook his head, banishing the thought. No Dreamer would do this; it just led to more work and possible injury to good nixils. He was still worried about what could be causing the break, but saw no reason to spread his concerns to the nixils until he actually had something substantial to tell them.

"Good job, Sir Pelinor." He said, tucking his worries in the back of his mind. "I'll take care of this right now."

"Do you need assistance?"

One started to say no, but a tug on his leg caught his eye. CthuBob glanced up at him, his hand still grasping One's sock.

"What is it, CthuBob?" One asked, kneeling down.

CthuBob pointed at the break and started to speak. Unfortunately, his 'voice' comprised mostly of gurgles, high-pitched hums, and the occasional squeak. Still, there was a strange pleading in his little red eyes that bothered One.

"Might be a good idea to be ready." One told Sir Pelinor. "Just in case."

"Understood. Knights! Take combat positions!"

The Giagrore Squad backed away from the break. Several slabs of stone rose from the ground, providing cover for them. As the knights readied their weapons, One approached the break.

"You can close this, right?" Nixil said, his voice quiet.

"I think so. I've never done one this big, but I'm sure the principle's still the same."

"Oh, that's reassuring."

One frowned at Nixil, but decided to save his retort for a more appropriate time. Shaking his head, he raised his hands toward the break and began channeling the energy of the Dream Realm.

The glowing light began to gather around his hands, growing brighter and brighter by the moment. Once he felt he had enough energy stored to begin, he pushed the energy to the top of the break.

Beams of light shot from his hands and wrapped around the break like a string circling a ball of twine, slowly covering more of the strange hole with their brilliance.

"Huh. That's different than last time."

One grunted through his teeth, "Not now, Nixil."

Most of the break was well covered by the light on a matter of minutes. As the last beam of light left One's hands, he pulled more energy to him.

Raising both hands, he began to slowly bring them together; as he did, the break began to shrink more rapidly as the beams of light clenched around it tighter and tighter.

Several of the knights started to look relieved. One, however, was still trying his best to maintain focus; the amount of energy he poured into restraining the construct should've been enough to start shrinking the break before he tried to compress it. It was almost as if something was pushing against him.

When the break was about the size of a small car, it abruptly stopped shrinking.

"Huh?" Gritting his teeth, One focused harder on compressing the break. It shrank a few more inches before stopping again.

"What's wrong, One?" Nixil asked worriedly. "Why are you stopping?"

I'm not stopping!" One said through clenched teeth, "Something's pushing back!"

Without warning, the entire break, light and all, seemed to explode. One, CthuBob, Nixil, and those members of the Shining Force who weren't behind cover were sent flying back from the force of the explosion.

One hit the ground, his body skidding across the ground for a few moments before sliding to a painful halt. Groaning, he quickly pushed himself up and looked up at the break. A dark figure was faintly visible through the brightness. It looked vaguely humanoid … at least at first. The sound of ripping fabric tore through the air as the figure's arms and legs began to stretch grotesquely. Whoever or whatever it was evidently wasn't expecting the change; it let out a scream of agony as its body was stretched even further.

One stumbled to his feet, his eyes finally recovering from the burst of brightness. By that point, whatever had broken through was barely even human. Limbs stretched, shrunk, and twisted as its torso pulsed hideously.

Without warning, the creature rose grabbed One with an impossibly long, stretched arm, and slammed him through a nearby statue of a unicorn. Stunned from the impact, One fought against it, but the arm was a writhing coil of muscle and sinew. Quickly coming to his senses, One summoned his Defiance, a massive two-handed hammer, and brought it around against the monster's arm. The snapping of bone shot through the air, followed by the creature roaring in pain as it released its hold on the Dreamer.

The Shining Force opened fire immediately; a torrent of arrows, bolts, bullets, and energy blasts slamming into the creature until it shattered into a thousand shards. As the last of the shards faded, Sir Pelinor hurried over to One.

"Are you all right, sir?" He asked as he helped the Dreamer to stand.

"Just a bit battered, that's all. Thanks." He glanced around, asking, "Nixil?"

"Up here."

One looked up to see Nixil perched on top of a street lamp, ruffled but unharmed.

"CthuBob?"

An affirmative, if slightly shaky, warble came from behind what remained of the unicorn statue. CthuBub's fuzzy green hand appeared a moment later as the nixil pulled himself to his feet.

"How about your squad?" One asked Sir Pelinor.

Glancing back, Sir Pelinor called out, "Azurik?"

A blue-skinned fellow with pointed ears called back, "Just a few bruises and scrapes, sir. No casualties."

"Good." One turned back to the break; it was smaller now, no bigger than a car, but it was definitely beginning to grow again. As he raised his hands, he called out, "Everyone ready?"

The soldiers quickly reassumed their positions. CthuBob braced himself behind a chunk of stone. Nixil remained on top of the lantern post.

Nodding, One started the process again; he wound the string of dream energy around the break, like a doctor stitching a wound. This time, the break began to shrink more quickly, even before he began to forcefully compress it.

When it was about the size of a beach ball, One felt something pushing back against the break again.

"Get ready!" He called out, trying his best to focus all his energy on sealing the break before something else came through. It began to shrink again, though it took tremendous effort on One's part.

He braced himself as he felt something approaching. "Here it comes!"

The break pulsed; One's grip managed to prevent another explosion, but something still managed to burst through the opening.

This time, he caught a clearer look at the creature; it was indeed humanoid, wearing clothes that were covered with strange grafts and glyphs. Almost instantly, the man's body began to twist and mutate, causing him to let out a horrific scream.

One wanted to help the poor fellow, but he couldn't risk letting go of the break. He pulled the strands of dream energy tightly around the break, his will forcing the break to grow smaller and smaller until it was sealed.

By that time, the man had become nearly identical to the original creature that had escaped. Knight Captain Pelinor started to raise his hand, but One stopped him.

"Hang on, Sir Pelinor." One told him. "Be ready, but hang on."

The arms and legs had stretched to nearly three times their normal length, while its torso had nearly doubled in size. The limbs were slender at first, but hard muscle quickly began to grow beneath the creature's skin. Its hands and feet thickened too; fingers merged into three single digits on its hands, while its feet became more hoof-like. While all of these things were disturbing, it was the creature's face that bothered One the most; the poor fellow's skin had been stretched and stretched across his skull, and then stretched a little more for good measure.

The creature moaned pitifully, its form finally stable. One approached cautiously. "Don't be afraid; I want to help you."

It looked at him. While its face had lost any ability to emote, the creature's eyes seemed hopeful as it moaned again.

"First, I need to ask a few questions; I know it must hurt like a sonovabitch, but try to nod or shake your head. Do you know where you are?"

The creature grimaced as it nodded in reply.

"The Dream Realm?"

It nodded again.

"So you're from the mainstream?"

Another nod.

One scratched his cheek. "We might be able to fix this by sending you back. Could you-"

The creature let out a roar and lashed out with its massive arm, catching One in the chest and knocking him back. As he hit the ground, Knight Captain Pelinor shouted, "Open fire!"

Unfortunately, they just weren't fast enough; with an amazing leap, the creature leapt over One and run away at an amazing speed.

One was on his feet in a moment and off them in the next; he flew after the creature, Nixil close behind and CthuBob hanging onto the back of One's shirt.

The creature ran so fast that its misshapen legs were nothing more than a blur. One was able to keep up, but only barely; he could feel his power beginning to drain as the familiar call of consciousness tugged at the back of his mind.

The thing leapt over a massive stone wall and rushed into another large park. One flew after him, dipping under the trees of the park so he could keep the creature in view.

There were a few screams from nearby nixils at the sight of the creature; small surprise, One thought. The stretched limbs and skin coupled with its horribly contorted face made the creature look positively ghoulish. It cast furtive glances back at One as the distance between them gradually lessened. When One was only a few feet away, CthuBob climbed on One's head and took a flying leap onto the creature's back.

The creature immediately stopped running and began thrashing about in a wild attempt to fling off the tiny nixil that was clinging to its back. CthuBob let out a whoop, his tiny wings flapping excitedly as he maintained his grip.

"You crazy little … hold on!" Nixil flew forward and circled the creature, batting at its head with his wings and and scratching at its mottled leathery skin with his talons. He couldn't do much damage alone, but together they managed to provide a big enough distraction for One to

As CthuBob, Nixil, and the creature continued to struggle, One drew power into his rune; he may not have been able to shift between the mainstream and the Dream Realm at will, but he could certainly send the creature back through the barrier between the realms.

The creature wasn't ready to give up, however; it finally managed to buck CthuBob. The nixil's tiny green body went flying over the hedge and into a large rose bush. With a backhanded swing, it sent Nixil fly into a nearby fountain.

Turning its attention back to One, the creature let out a roar and rushed forward.

One met it head on, his rune shining. He dodged another of the creature's swipes and slapped his hand against the thing's chest. The light from the rune quickly spread to the creature, covering its entire body in moments. With a final mournful cry from the creature, its body vanished with a final flash of light.

Silence rang in the air, broken only by the thrashings of CthuBob. One hurried over and helped the little guy escape the rose bush.

"That was very brave of you." One told him, channeling a little energy to heal the few small scrapes CthuBob had received. CthuBob blushed, and made a series of noises that somehow sounded modest.

"Both of you." One glanced at Nixil, who was still spitting out water. "Seriously, that thing would still be stomping around without you two."

"Yeah, well don't say I never contribute." Nixil shook off his wings before letting out a sneeze. "Seriously, though, just what the hell was that thing?"

One opened his mouth to respond when he felt the mainstream pulling at him.

"I think I'm waking up." He told Nixil. "Listen; you said something came through the first break, right? I'm thinking that means there's another one of those things running around. I need you and CthuBob to try and find it."

Nixil opened his mouth to complain, but closed it again when CthuBob gave an enthusiastic salute.

"Fine. Just don't expect me to take it down myself." Nixil said.

"See if Pelinor can send a knight or two with you." One's vision began to fade as he slipped out of the Dream Realm. "I'll meet you back at Merlin's Tree!"


	14. Skims

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One makes the acquaintance of an old friend he hasn't met yet.

The moment One opened his eyes to see dense green jungle foliage intermixed with thick hanging vines. The sound of birdsong floated gently through the air. The air was warm and pleasant, if just a bit humid.

He wasn't looking up at the forest canopy, however, but straight ahead into the gently swaying forest. After a moment of confusion, he realized he was still strapped in his chair. The parachute attached to his chair had snagged on the upper branches of one of the trees, leaving him swinging about fifty feet from the ground.

"Great." He muttered, trying to figure out a safe way down. "Maybe I can grab a vine or something."

His chair swayed as he worked at undoing the clasps. Trying to ignore the rising discomfort brought by his distance from the ground, he undid the final strap. A crack from above made him freeze. He slowly looked up, afraid of what he'd see.

A cheery face covered in strange markings smiled at him, only inches away.

"Gah!" One recoiled; unfortunately, the sudden movement made him slide out of the chair. His fingers scrambled for a grasp on the smooth-bottomed chair to no avail.

He held his hands in front of him in a rather foolish attempt to protect himself as the ground rushed to meet him. As he braced himself for impact, however, something caught his leg and held him fast.

One slowly cracked an eye open to find the ground only a few inches away. He was so close, in fact, that a few strands of tall grass were tickling his nose.

As he started to look up at what had saved him, whatever had grabbed his ankle let go. He fell to the ground with a loud 'oof' (which, some part of his mind snidely commented, was still better than a 'splat').

"What the …?"

He didn't get to finish his comment; the face was back, looking straight at him. This time, however, he had time to get a good look at the body to which the face was attached. Of particular note was the lean, yet muscular physique, the strange tattoos all over his body, and most of all the man's bright red wings.

"Cardinal." One murmured to himself.

The sentient cocked his head to the side, a puzzled look on his face. "Car-di-nal?"

"It's a-" One sighed and shook his head. "Never mind. I'm not really feeling up for the full explanation right now."

The red-winged sentient let go of the vine he was holding and landed on the ground beside One. Approaching on all fours, he peered curiously at the fallen Dreamer.

"Hey, hey! A little distance there, pal!" One said holding up a hand to stop the strange fellow from coming any closer.

The sentient cocked his head again, a thoughtful expression on his face.

One pushed himself up and slowly got to his feet, keeping a wary eye on the sentient. The sentient continued to look at him with curious eyes, almost as if he were waiting for something.

"I'm One, by the way." One told him, nodding slightly.

Without warning, the sentient threw his arms around the Dreamer in what was undoubtedly an embrace.

"Aaack!" One shoved the sentient away. "The hell, man?"

"Friend One! Friend One! Friend One has returned!"

The sentient did a sort of joyful dance while One just stood there looking confused. As far as One knew, he had never seen the red-winged sentient ever in his life, pre-Dreamer or otherwise.

One waited for the sentient to stop dancing around before asking, "You know me?"

"Of course Skims know One! Skims and One are friends!"

"Skims? That's you?"

Skims chuckled. "One always joking, always playing. Of course me Skims!"

"Ah … right." One scratched his head, feeling more than a little awkward. "So I guess I should thank you for-"

"One need to see Myria!" Without warning, Skims leapt from the ground and flew through the canopy of leaves.

One stood there for a few moments, feeling completely and utterly befuddled.

Skims appeared amid the thick foliage moments later. "Friend One? Why you not fly?"

"I … uh, can't." One told him, blushing at his weakness. "No powers."

"No powers? What you -" Skims slapped the side of his head. "Silly Skims! Sorry, friend One; I forget. You say you not fly next time meeting Skims."

"I did?"

"Uh-huh. Not fly, and not remember Skims or Myria. Told me to say funny words next time." He scrunched up his face and said, "Tem-pore-all Add-just-mint."

"Temporal … oh. Oh!" One let out a sigh of relief. "I get it now; you met my older self."

Now it was Skims who looked confused. "Older One?"

"Yeah. The One you met in the past was me from the future. I must come back here at some point in the past and …"

One stopped talking; from the look on Skims face, it was clear that the sentient had stopped listening, no doubt as an unconscious effort to spare his sanity.

"Er … anyway, you're Skims, huh?"

Skims nodded his head, a grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, me Skims. Skims live here since he was a fledging."

"Great. Sounds cool." One glanced around at the jungle. "And where exactly is here?"

Skims cocked his head to the side. "Here?"

"Yeah, here. Where are we?"

"How you not know where we are?"

One rubbed his temples as a slight ache began to build in his head. "I was stuck in a storm and had to eject. The storm fried my sensors and I had to …"

Skims cocked his head to the side questioningly. Letting out an exasperated sigh, One finished, "I got lost."

Skims beamed at him. "No lost! Come! I show you!"

The two set off into the jungle. There were no paths, at least none that One could notice. Fortunately, Skims seemed to know exactly where he was going; the red-winged sentient would stop every so often, cock his head to the side, listen for a moment, and then continue moving in a slightly different direction.

One tried his best to keep up with Skims hectic pace, but it proved to be quite difficult. His tek-boots and Headache got in the way more often than not, and the heavy humid air made breathing a little more difficult than usual. Skims kept ahead easily, somehow slipping past the branches, massive tree roots, stones, and whatever else got in his way. Still, he never moved so fast that One lost sight of him.

After what felt to One like an eternity of slapping branches and slippery moss, the jungle began to thin out. In a matter of minutes, there were only a few straggling trees and thick grass to contend with.

Feeling a little out of breath at that point, One asked, "How much further?"

"Just over next hill."

As they climbed up the side of a large hill, a wide plain slid into view. It stretched out endlessly in all directions, unbroken save for a wide hole in the ground. Snow-peaked mountains were visible in the distance, a massive walled city visible even from a long distance.

"Come!" Skims said, rushing ahead.

One caught up with him just as he reached the edge of the hole. Panting slightly, he said, "Okay, Skims, now where …"

His voice caught in his throat. The hole went down for a good fifty or sixty feet before stopping; beyond that, nothing was visible save for clouds, and the faintest hint of green coming from far, far below. He stumbled back, a slight feeling of vertigo passing over him.

Skims grinned at him. "You know now?"

"Rising Star!" One said incredulously. "But I thought it wasn't …. I mean, what about …"

Skims nodded patiently, as though he expected this.

One took a moment to collect himself. After a few deep, calming breaths, he said, "Rising Star. Didn't think I pulled up that much. Still, at least I'm still breathing, eh?"

Skims nodded vigorously. "Breathing good! Myria get mad at me if One not breathing."

"Myria?"

"Follow!" Without warning, Skims leapt through the hole.

One peered down the hole as Skims spread his red wings beneath the continent.

"Hey!" He called out. "What about me?"

It was too late; Skims vanished down the hole. One peered over the edge from as close as he dared to stand, but all he saw were the clouds beneath the floating continent.

Shaking his head, he muttered, "Great. Luck's gone, and the sentient answer to Tarzan just ditched me."

He didn't have many choices; the jungle wasn't very inviting, the mountains looked formidable to say the least, and the hole was … well, a hole. His tek-boots could slow his descent, but even if he didn't pass out or asphyxiate on the way down, he had no way of telling where he'd land; the cloud cover beneath the island obscured the planet below.

Just as One made up his mind to try his luck in the jungle, Skims popped his head over the edge of the hole. "You still here?"

"Wha … ?"

Skims grabbed One's foot and pulled it over the edge of the hole. With a yelp, One scrambled for purchase on the edge of the hole, but the fingers of Headache's metal hands only tore through the grass.

As he fell through the hole, the clouds vanished only to be replaced with a pile of mattresses and pillows. The walls were no longer dirt and stone, but the comfortable trappings of a home. It reminded One strongly of the beach cabin rooms in the private sections of his floor.

One took a few moments to let his heart stop trying to beat its way through his chest. Once he was sufficiently calm, he looked up to see Skims grinning at him.

"Thanks for the warning." One said dryly.

Skims chuckled. "You surprise Skims when we first met. Now we even."

"Skims? Is that you?" A woman with silver-scaled wings stepped around the corner, her blond hair fading to white in typical sentient style. Despite the loose burgundy robe she wore, it was clear that she was heavy with child.

When she saw One, her eyes widened. "One! By the Creator!"

She immediately turned stern eyes on Skims. "I thought we agreed not scare him when he returned?"

"Ah. Slipped mind." Skims smacked himself in the side of his head, a goofy smile on his face.

The woman let out a sigh before looking at One with a warm smile. As she hugged him warmly, she said, "Welcome back, old friend."

"Er … good to be here again. I guess."

She laughed and extended a delicate hand. "Myria Lu-Shei. Don't worry; you made it clear that you wouldn't know either of us the next time we met."

"Yeah, I've been through this with Skims." Rubbing the back of his head, One said, "I hope I was … will be helpful back then."

"You were." She told him. "Skims and I owe our happiness to you, after all."

Skims swept her up in his arms and shouted, "Happy!"

Myria giggled at her husband's antics. As they kissed, One couldn't help but wonder after Luck and Teria. He hoped they were both okay wherever they were.

After Skims set Myria down, he said, "You welcome in home as long as you need!"

Myria said, "I'm sure you'll find our home comfortable, more so than what you'd end up with the xemptarians in Grallitas."

"I believe it." One said; he had spent a little time in a xemptarian prison after a botched teleport. It was unclear which shocked the jailors more; his appearance on Rising Star or his appearance inside a securely locked cell. "Say, did I leave a message for me, by any chance?"

"No, but you did leave a message for someone else."

"Really? Who?"

Myria didn't respond.

Sighing, One said, "I told you not to tell me, didn't I?"

She nodded. "You wrote another letter too, but when I asked you if you wanted me to deliver it as well, you said no. You said it was going to Rimstak."

"Huh. Must've been a note to Mikaen." One said. It made sense; Mikaen and his team were probably already there.

"It's probably nothing to worry about." Myria said, "Now come on; let's have some food. You're probably famished, yes?"

Dinner was a surprisingly quiet affair, aside from Skims rather boisterous eating habits. One was glad; not just of the food, but for the chance to collect himself and figure out a plan for getting back to the surface.

"Miss Myria-"

"No formalities, please." She replied kindly. "After all, you are responsible for our current happiness."

Blushing slightly, One continued. "Have either of you ever been to the surface?"

"I'm afraid not. Skims?"

Skims glanced up, a bit of mashed potato on his cheek. "Mmm?"

Myria gave her husband an exasperated look before grabbing a handkerchief and wiping the food from his face. "Honestly dear; we have company."

"Ah. Sorry." Looking back at One, Skims asked, "You ask something?"

"Have you ever been to the surface?"

Skims looked thoughtful for a few moments, but ultimately shook his head. "Skims only live on Rising Star. Been around nearby floating islands, but not surface."

"Ah. Nuts." One returned his gaze to his food. "I was kinda hopin' I could get a portal back to the surface. I've got friends down there, and I'm a little worried about them."

"Ah. Me sorry." Skims gave him about three seconds of sympathy before returning to his meal with renewed gusto. Myria, on the other hand, appeared thoughtful. After a few moments of absently tapping her wooden spoon on the side of her plate, she said, "Perhaps … "

"Yes?" One asked.

"We do not live far from Andreas Truth. He has the means of reaching the surface; when a sentient is exiled, he is the one who sends them there."

"Really." A modicum of caution managed to worm its way through the eagerness of One's mind and prompted him to ask, "They do make it there in one piece, right?"

Myria looked uncomfortable. "I'm afraid I don't really know; Truth claims so, but we haven't always been on the best of terms, as you will one day find out."

The look on Myria's face made it clear she didn't want to talk about it. One was curious, but he wasn't about to kick up unpleasant memories after how kindly they had received him.

"Tell you what; you give me directions, and I'll head over there right now." One wiped crumbs from his mouth and started to rise. "Great dinner, by the way."

"I appreciate the compliment, but should you not rest for the night?" Myria asked him. "It is a long trip on wing, let alone on foot."

"I don't want to impose."

Skims looked up from his meal. "C'mon! One stay for night. We have extra room. As thanks for old friend One."

"I am a little tired." One admitted. It had been a long hike through the woods.

Skims clapped his hands together. "Good. I show you to room now?"

"I'd appreciate that." One said, stifling a yawn.

Skims hopped up from his chair. "Follow Skims!"

"Goodnight, Myria." One said, bowing his head at the sentient woman as Skims led him away.

"Goodnight, One. Pleasant Dreams."

As Skims led One down a long hallway, One asked, "I have to ask; is this Truth guy going to be happy see a groundling like me?"

"It be fine. Besides, you want him to send you to surface, right?"

"Yeah, but not via being tossed off the side of Rising Star."

Skims laughed. "Funny One. Nah, he not like that. Besides, you Dreamer. He no hurt Dreamer."

"Hmm." One shook his head and said, "Y'know, I've been meaning to ask; why do you speak like that?"

"Like what?"

Sighing, One muttered, "Never mind."

Skims lead him to a modestly furnished but comfortable room.

"It not much." Skims told him. "Good you come here now; gonna make it nursery next week."

One's eyes fell on the quilt-covered bed and the dark finish of the hand-carved furniture. "Not bad, not bad at all."

"Glad you like. You need somethin', just say. Okay?"

"Okay." One said. "G'night, Skims."

"Good Dreams, friend!"

Once the door was closed, One pulled of Headache and his tek-boots and tossed them on the vanity cabinet. He considered taking off his Impulse harness, but the bed was quite soft; in a matter of moments, he slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	15. Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two and Wong arrive in Rimstak.

Torneko Norbin, owner and proprietor of the Norbin Trade Company, was a stand-up guy. If you lived in Rimstak's Penumbra district, he was the man you went to if you needed something special, be it weaponry, rare parts, or the odd custom order. It was a testament to his skill as a trader and a diplomat that his was the first company to successfully form a trading pact with Rising Star.

Torneko Norbin was a master merchant, and always seemed to be pulling a good profit even when giving the best deals. He wasn't dishonest; he just had the right connections and plenty of charisma. He had become such a part of the district that most didn't realize that he was Galden.

People perked up when they saw Torneko walking through the streets. He chuckled and waved, his belly shaking with enough force to rattle the numerous bits and bobs that hung from his leather apron.

"Good day." He repeated as familiar faces waved at him. He always made sure to give his old customers his best smile as he made his way to the most important of the Norbin Trade Company warehouses: the one where he stored his goods from Rising Star.

Normally, he would approach anyone willing to give him a moment and proceed to work his magic; in Rimstak, everyone was looking for some bit or bob, and he was only too happy to deliver. On this particular day however, he had important business that needed his immediate attention.

The massive warehouse seemed plain compared to the nearby buildings; there were no gears, no levers, and no moving parts to speak of, save the large shutters on the roof for receiving cargo.

He bobbed his head at the guards as he fumbled for his key ring. Security wasn't truly a problem; Rimstakkens were honest folk for the most part, just a little overzealous in their search for parts at times. Still, there were other trade companies who would occasionally try to get a piece of the Rising Star Pie. As such, the warehouse that held the good from Rising Star had plenty of video cameras, the most alert guards, and the best security measures money could buy. When there was an alert from the Rising Star warehouse, Torneko was always very interested in the cause.

As he stepped into the warehouse, he was met by his business partner, a kindly Rimstakken woman who had been a friend of Torneko's since he first arrived in Rimstak. She had worked by his side since before his company even found its feet, and was the one person he trusted above all others. He still smiled when he thought about that first fateful meeting, when she agreed to be his business partner for the price of a single red rose.

"Thanks be to the Creator for your prompt arrival!" The woman said, wringing her hands. "Chaos has been present since it arrived."

"Don't worry so much, Maggie." Torneko told her kindly, patting her on the arm. "Let's go take a look at the shipment."

She led him through the walkways above the warehouse. Most of the supplies seemed to be in order; stasis rooms were fully functional, distribution areas were filled with neatly stacked boxes, barrels, and sacks, and the floaters in his transport bays were neatly parked in lines. As they neared the receiving warehouse, however, a thin trail of smoke rising through the air signaled that something was amiss.

The source of the smoke was soon made clear; one of the cargo catchers had malfunctioned. The incoming sphere (now buried in a mass of splintered barrels and crates) appeared to have hit the side of the catcher instead of the center; the momentum coupled with the weight of the cargo sphere had overwhelmed one of the anchoring hands, nearly tearing the metal appendage from the catcher altogether. If not for the reduced gravity generators, the sphere would surely have been crushed like a discarded soda can.

"Strange; Trellench said these things were good for a thousand years." Torneko muttered as he scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"It is not containing that much simplicity." Maggie said as they approached the fallen sphere. "My thorough scanning of the sphere has determined that it was misbalanced. I was prepared to assign responsibility to the Claudius Gardens, but the cargo sphere's onboard computer indicates the shift happened after the sphere had launched."

"Huh. Something must've come loose. Still, isn't the catcher's supposed to compensate for that?

"The appearance is misleading; the sphere was aimed into the warrens when our tractor field caught it; we tried to adjust the new trajectory manually." She blushed. "I take full responsibility for this error, Torneko."

"That's okay, Maggie. I'm sure you did the best you …" He stopped, a frown crossing his face; as they drew nearer the sphere, he could swear he could hear singing. At first, he thought it was from somewhere outside, but they were in the center of the complex; there was no way he could hear someone singing from even the nearest street. Whoever was singing was much closer.

He slowly approached the sphere. Placing his ear gently against the hull, he listened intently.

"One bottle of beer on the wall, one bottle of beer! If that bottle should happen to fall, no more bottles of beer on the wall!"

There was brief pause before the voice called out, "One more time!"

"No!" Shouted another voice, "No more bottles on the wall, I beg you!"

"For my best friend in the 'verse? Anything. ANY-thing. Song's getting dull anyway. Hey, I got a better one! It's about a Scotsman who falls asleep and two girls take a peek at his-"

"Ugh … when is this thing going to land?"

"Y'know, I've really enjoyed hanging out with you. You're jus' barrels o'fun. Hey, how about camp-town races?"

"What about them?"

"The song, man! You know what I mean, you crazy guy!"

"Ugh. Y'know, screw it; we're past the guard. I'm going to bail and look for One."

"But what about the cargo? All the hungry Rimstakken orphans just hoping for a bite of a … a … whatever this purple banana thing is."

"I do not care; I'll feed each and every one of them personally if it'll get me away from you!"

Something kicked the cargo-sphere's door clear from the rest of the craft. Moments later, a Galden in baggy clothes leapt from the sphere, only to be caught by Torneko's well-trained security officers.

"What the heck?" The man said, looking flustered. "Hang on a sec! Let go of me!"

"Who in the name of the Creator are you?" Torneko asked, more startled than angry. It had been ages since anyone tried to use a sphere to transport people, and that had been to Rising Star, not from.

"He's Wong Fo-lee of the Elsewhere Incorporate, video-game whiz kid and dance master!"

Torneko turned back to the pod to see another Galden climb out unsteadily. He wore jeans and a collared shirt, but it was the black hat with the small feather that caught Torneko's eye … that and the bottle of wine in the fellow's hand. A female security officer grabbed him by the arm and relieved him of the bottle, but it was clear by the man's sluggish movements that he had already had plenty."

"And you are?" Torneko crossed his arms and gave the tipsy fellow a stern look.

"Me? Me? I am the great and powerful Dreamer known only as … Uh Narrator Number James."

"He's Narrator Number Two, also of the Elsewhere Incorporate, believe it or not." Wong said, looking annoyed that he even had to talk about the man. "We're here looking for Narrator Number One."

"So you two are both Dreamers, huh?"

"You bet!" Two said, looking at the female guard. "Say, you're kinda cute; how 'bout we ditch these norms and have us a little party?"

The guard shoved Two at the nearest door, a look of annoyance on her face. Two staggered forward a few steps and looked confused for a moment before turning back to the guard.

"And by that," Two slurred as he pointed a finger at her, "I mean sex. Lots an' lotsa steamy canoodling."

She spun him around and slapped a pair of restraining cuffs on him, her face turning red, though it was unclear whether from anger or embarrassment.

Wong tried to rub his forehead, only for the guard to grab his hand. "Ow! Watch it, norm! Look, I'm telling you the truth. We're both Dreamers."

"It is being unlikely." Maggie said sharply. "A Dreamer would not be letting himself get caught."

"One little mistake." Wong said. A moment later, a startled look came over his face.

"Two!" He whispered despite the fact that everyone could hear him. "I can't use my Dreamer abilities!"

Two, however, was still looking lustfully at his guard. "So, your place or mine?"

She shoved him against the wall before looking at Torneko. "What should we be doing with them, sir?"

Torneko scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe they're Elsewhere, maybe they're not. Either way, I see no harm in letting them go."

"Torneko?" Maggie said, a look of shock on her face.

"It's okay, Maggie." He said, his tone reassuring. "If they're just stowaways, we're only down what they drank and ate in transit. If they are Elsewhere, then they're undoubtedly on an important mission. I've heard stories about people who inconvenienced Dreamers, and quite frankly, I'd rather not take the chance. Escort them out of the warehouse, if you please … gently."

"Finally! Someone with a brain." Wong said as a guard undid his restraints.

The guard covering Two released him, albeit reluctantly. As he massages his wrists, he leered at her. "Change of heart, cupcakes? Can't say I blame you."

"Please be refraining from speech." She said, pushing Two toward the door.

Two stumbled forward a few steps before tripping over his own feet. Maggie was there just a second before Torneko, both of them grabbing an arm and steadying the Dreamer.

"Thanks guys." He slurred, grinning foolishly. "You're both nice … and wow, you're pretty too. Here, I wanna give you somethin'."

He handed Maggie a small black box. Torneko recognized it immediately, his hand already patting the right pocket of his jacket where he kept the box only to find it gone.

"You picked my pocket!" he said just as Maggie opened the box to reveal an exquisitely jeweled pendant made in the shape of a rose, its stem silver and its petals formed from carefully cut rubies. Her look of shock made it clear the meaning was not lost on her.

They stared at each other, both so surprised they let go of Two.

As Two staggered off, Torneko and Maggie stared at each other, speechless.

"This pendant," She asked, her eyes on his. "Is it being for me?"

He felt his cheeks grow very hot as he pulled the engagement pendant from his jacket pocket. "It seemed appropriate. I've been trying to find the right moment, but we've been so busy with the company lately."

She was smiling as she took his hands. "All this time, and you are remembering."

"Sir!" One of the guards called out. "The wine!"

"Not now." Torneko told the guard, his eyes locked on Maggie's.

"But he drank it all! Over two hundred bottles!"

"Not now."

"But …"

"Not now." Maggie told the guard, her eyes still on Torneko as she pointedly fastened the pendant around her neck. "If it is being bothersome to you, go apprehend him or something and cease your interruption of our conversation."

The guard shouted at the other guards and hurried from the warehouse, leaving Torneko and Maggie to speak of their new partnership.


	16. New Arrivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forgetit Shae Mschens picks up Mikaen's team, only to receive a shock as her prototype airship comes under Rev attack. Yes, Annabelle is Uncle Ann from the Sakamota Journals.

The Phoenix approached the Mschens Workshop, a wondrous monolith of spinning cogs, clockwork mechanisms, glowing tubes and wires nestled in the mass of buildings, constructs, and machinery of the Shineside. There weren't as many floaters or airships as Mikaen had expected, though a fair few were floating through the air. Aside from the random aircraft, the path to the docking bay within Mschens Workshop was clear of air traffic.

The docking bay itself was a flurry of activity. Built to accommodate a wide-variety of vehicles, it was capable of reconfiguring itself. Holographic consoles and floors appeared, walkways extended, and entire sections of the building slid apart to accommodate the Phoenix. Several arms extended from the bay and locked into key panels across the right and left flanks of the Phoenix. The arms slowly brought the Phoenix closer to the bay until it hovered directly over a series of support beams. The ship shuddered slightly as the clamps secured it to the platform.

Watching with interest as a holographic ramp burst to life and extended from the upper deck to the inside of the Mschens Workshop, Mikaen commented, "Still amazes me."

"What does?" Tirinia asked him curiously.

"The technology. I've seen the best on Earth during my time with the knights, but this is so much beyond that."

"I will be taking that as a compliment." Shae said as she joined Mikaen and Tirinia on deck, Kajex and Maxim following behind her. She beamed at Mikaen and said, The Phoenix utilizes many cutting-edge technologies, some of which I was having to design personally."

"Well, it definitely leaves an impression." Glancing around, Mikaen asked, "Anyone seen Jeronem or Ben?"

"Ben's with Suzette. I think he's still a little air sick." Maxim said, "and Jeronem said he was in the middle of a project, but will meet up with us later."

"That is fine; he is having been here before." Shae said, striding forward. She stepped on the ramp and continued down to where several technicians were waiting.

As Mikaen moved to follow her, he ran his hand over the safety railing. He had encountered holograms on Vinta before coming to Rimstak, but it was still disconcerting to look down and see nothing between him and the friendly skies but a shimmering blue field. Shaking his head, he hurried after the others.

Shae was already talking amicably with the docking bay technicians by the time Mikaen caught up with them. At least, he thought they were conversing; they were speaking Rimstakken. Mikaen's linguistic skills were limited to English (which predictably wasn't very helpful on Vinta) and Vintan Common. After brief, but energetic conversation, the technicians bobbed their heads at Shae and swiftly ran up the ramp.

Just as Mikaen was about to ask about their conversation, a hearty voice shouted, "Ho, there! Looks like we've got some company!"

A Rimstakken man with tools hanging from nearly every inch of his clothes and leather apron hopped off of a lift that promptly plummeted back into the building. As the man hugged Shae, Mikaen noticed that the fellow's nut-brown skin and gray eyes matched Shae's perfectly.

As they stepped apart, the man turned his gaze on the rest of the group. "Well, let's see who we've got here. The Windstar boys … well, two of them anyway. Remind me to give your enhancements a once over while you're here, Maxim. Say, is your wife with you?"

"Nah." Maxim said, rubbing the back of his head. "Lya headed back to Jai Vye before we left. She said she wasn't feeling well."

"Can't say I'm surprised, most Vyans have trouble flying. Well, tell her I said hi when you head home. Let's see, there's the Myssohn sisters … Tirinia and Teria, I believe. Earned that doctorate yet, Daughter Tirinia?"

"Not yet." Tirinia replied, bowing her head respectfully. "I've been a little preoccupied lately."

"Well, keep at it; with the quality of your work, you'll get there in no time. Next up we have Homestead's own Jeronem Thistlethorn."

Sure enough, Mikaen turned to see Jeronem running towards them, staff tucked under his arm.

"Good to see you again!" The Rimstakken man said to the young vuestan.

"You too, sir!" Jeronem said, shaking the man's hand.

The man stared at him for a moment before letting out a laugh. "And speaking vocally now as well! I definitely want to hear about that later."

The man looked to Ben next. "I don't believe I know you, but your face seems very familiar."

"I just have one of those faces." Ben said with a nervous chuckle. "Call me Ben."

"Well, on any account, welcome to Rimstak, Ben." Shaking his head, he finally looked to Mikaen. "And, finally we have the man of the hour … or should I say, the sentient of the hour?"

"Mikaen is fine." Mikaen told him, shaking the Rimstakken's hand. "And you are?"

"Guildmaster Breven Mschens." He replied proudly, thumbing himself in the chest. "If it's an augment you're looking for, then I'm your man. I'm Forgetit's father … oh, and I'm in charge of Rimstak." He waved his hand dismissively, as though the last fact were inconsequential. Shaking his head, he asked, "So, what is it that brings all of you to my country? Surely nothing is wrong with my daughter's pride and joy."

"The Phoenix is functioning to the maximum of its potential." Shae said, her cheeks reddening slightly. "Our purpose here is being of a more complication-induced nature."

"Really? Now I am intrigued." He looked at Mikaen appraisingly. "You know, I received an interesting message from the Cygros this morning. He claimed you stole the Phoenix and kidnapped several foreign dignitaries. Of course, none of you look bound, and I can't imagine anyone would be silly enough to steal a Rimstakken vessel and bring it straight back to Rimstak."

"Jyle and I had a disagreement on how to deal with something that I believe poses a threat to Vinta." Thinking of the Galden troops that had chased them, Mikaen added, "At least, I thought it was a disagreement."

"Ah yes, the Revs. I read of your exploits in Ronisgald; impressive work for a man who's been on the planet for less than a year. Adapt, adopt, and improve; most commendable. As for the Revs, well … if you are here to deal with them, then I may be able to provide you with more than just accommodations."

"The Revs are here?"

"We'll speak of it once you and your friends are situated in our guest rooms … and after dinner. I'm sure you all are hungry, seeing as the food dispensers on the Phoenix haven't been installed yet."

After a short ride on the lift, the Guildmaster led them to a large circular room in the center of the floor. The ceiling was transparent, giving them an excellent view of the Phoenix above, and there were eight doors spaced evenly around the room. Much as in Muonsol, the rooms led to quarters designed for visiting dignitaries.

After dropping off what gear they had brought with them, the group met up in the central chamber once again, where the Guildmaster was waiting.

He raised an eyebrow at Mikaen, who had retained his basic armor and Truth. "Are you expecting combat, Sir Knight?"

"Old habits." Mikaen said, shrugging.

"Fair enough. Well, follow me; my cooks tell me they've prepared a feast for my little girl's return!"

"Father, please." Shae said, though she was smiling.

A feast to remember was right; Mikaen had eaten cube steak on earth a few times, but it had never literally been cube-shaped. Aside from some other slight peculiarities, the food tasted fine. Tirinia and Teria seemed to like it; they both tucked away several plates of food each.

"Like that, eh?" The Guildmaster asked as Tirinia went for another helping of the fruit salad. "Fresh shipment from the Claudius Gardens. A friend of mine has connections up there."

"Up there?" Jeronem asked curiously.

"Well, the Claudius Gardens are on Rising Star, aren't they? Anyway, he usually sends me a few bottles of geen wine too, but apparently there was a little trouble with the delivery."

"A problem?" Mikaen asked curiously.

The Guildmaster assured him, "Nothing worth your attention, sir knight. The guilty party has already been caught and incarcerated."

"Guildmaster Brevens," Benjamin said, his voice quavering slightly. "I can't help but notice that you speak more … er … "

"Normally?" The Guildmaster said, a knowing grin on his face.

His face bright red, Benjamin stammered, "I-I'm not trying to say your people aren't normal."

Guildmaster Brevens laughed. "Relax, Benjamin. I understand what you mean completely; my people have always had a rough time with Common, and practically every inventor worth their wrench has tried developing a proper universal translator. When my father was still Guildmaster, I spent several years wandering Vinta and learning the dialects in an attempt to figure it out myself; in the process, I became quite fluent with the proper use of Common. Never did get the universal translator to work right though."

"Still." He added thoughtfully. "Rimstakkens learn enough Common through the public education system to at least be understood. It's a simple enough language, after all. Rimstakken on the other hand … well, I've only known a handful of non-Rimstakkens who've ever come even close to learning our language."

Mikaen nodded, though he wasn't really listening; the cube steak was perfectly cooked throughout rather than being rare in the middle as he expected. He was curious how that was managed, but not enough to actually ask. It tasted very good, and that was enough for him.

"So, Kajex and Maxim." said the Guildmaster after a few minutes of silence (other than the sounds of eating and the occasional clink of silverware hitting a plate) "What brings you two here? I didn't think you were part of Mikaen's team."

Kajex's mouth was full, but Maxim seemed more than happy to speak. "We were sleeping in the crew quarters of the Phoenix when they hijacked it. Victims of circumstance, but we've had a chance to look over Mikaen's findings. We're definitely down with the whole 'stopping the Revs' thing."

Kajex nodded approvingly, still chewing.

"But why sleep in the crew quarters? I know they couldn't be comfortable, especially for you, Kajex."

Kajex blushed slightly, but was still unable to speak. As he started to chew faster, Maxim said, "Oh, that's simple; he's got a crush on-"

Kajex's face went red. He choked down the mouthful of food with impressive effort and promptly punched his brother in the shoulder. As Maxim's arms were cybernetic, this had all the effect of punching a lamppost.

Shae, on the other hand, seemed concerned. "Kajex? Are you okay?"

"Tried to swallow too much, that's all." He gave her a nervous smile before returning his gaze to his plate.

Mikaen and Tirinia shared a smile before returning to their food.

"Speaking of us." Maxim said, turning in his seat so he could better address Mikaen. "I'll give pops a call after dinner and make sure he knows we're good."

The Guildmaster wiped his mouth with a napkin. "That may not be possible; the Great Race is tomorrow, and the com stations are full to the brim with communications; bets, advice, last minute parts orders. You'll be lucky if you could even get to a booth before midnight."

"Don't you have some quick way of communicating with them?" Mikaen asked.

"Not really. If I had easier access, then either I or it could provide a compromise point. Hey, I didn't make the rules; my grandfather was the last Guildmaster who had a Corruption during his administration; still, given all the Glyche activity as of late, I'd rather be safe than sorry."

"Glyche activity?" Tirinia asked curiously.

Guildmaster Brevens nodded. "We've uncovered another eight facilities at various locations across the Shineside, another ten on Shadeside. No malicious technology as of yet, fortunately. We've sealed most of them off, and are checking them one by one to be safe; so far, we've discovered nothing out of the ordinary."

Mikaen traded glances with Tirinia. The look in her eyes made it clear that they were thinking the same thing.

"Guildmaster." Mikaen asked, setting down his fork, "You mentioned the Revs earlier."

"Ah, yes, that is a matter I was hoping to discuss with you. We've been aware of the outsiders working in Rimstak for quite a while, but it wasn't until your team exposed the Revs' activities in Ronisgald that we realized that they weren't just some Glyche cult."

"Glyche cult?" Tirinia asked, clearly startled.

"We get one or two every now or then; some nut suckers a bunch of people into believing that the Glyche were gods or some other superstitious nonsense. They're usually harmless, though Sparks has caught a few attempting to restore Glyche machinery."

"Sparks?" Jeronem asked, his ears twitching. "The Eternian?"

"The one and only. We have a very cordial relationship; we give him and by extension the Eternians a nice workshop Shineside and in return they look into suspicious activities for us occasionally."

Tirinia told Mikaen about her encounter with the heroes Blue Impulse, Richochet, and Ivy back in Ronisgald, but the idea of real superheroes still seemed strange to him. The closest thing to a superhero Mikaen had ever encountered was the Stranger, a lone gunman who occasionally fought against some of the Revs grander schemes. He assisted Mikaen on occasion as well, usually saving his hide in the process.

The Guildmaster was looking at him curiously. "You're being rather quiet, Mikaen. Is everything okay?"

Mikaen shook his head. "I'm good. Please, continue."

"Well, in that case, let's get down to the final bolt. We know the Revs are here, and we know they want something with the Glyche ruins. Here's what I propose; I've got a number of teams comprised of experienced Glyche explorers gearing up to explore the newly uncovered Glyche ruins: soldiers, scientists, gadgeteers, the works. Tomorrow, I'm gonna send them out to every Glyche ruin in the country; facilities, and research stations. Heck, if someone's found a Glyche broom closet, I'm gonna send an armored maid to check it out."

"To that end, I'd like your team's help in examining those particular Glyche ruins that are in close proximity to Kindred ruins. Yes, Jeronem." The Guildmaster added, seeing Jeronem look up abruptly. "I think they're after the Raenqal, whatever that might be. Even if they aren't, these Revs could cause serious havoc if they manage to find and use a Kindred facility."

"How many facilities are near Kindred ruins?" Mikaen asked curiously.

"Out of the one-hundred and thirty-seven facilities across the continent? Thirteen. I don't expect this will be done in a day, mind you; even if we had enough specialists, rushing this could turn out very badly very quickly. We'll take it slow and methodical, and hopefully not trigger another Corruption."

"Sounds fun." Maxim said cheerily as he grabbed his glass with a cybernetic hand.

"Sounds dangerous." Benjamin said sullenly.

As they rose from the table, Mikaen could tell Tirinia was feeling uncomfortable.

"Are you okay with this?" He asked her through their bond. "You know more about the Glyche and the Kindred than any of us, after all."

She nodded, her furry face looking a touch pale. "It's not that; didn't just didn't sit well with me, that's all."

Before he could respond, she asked aloud, "I'm feeling a bit tired; Guildmaster Mschens, do you mind if I call it a day?"

"I was about to recommend the same thing myself. We've got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow, after all."

Mikaen stayed close to Tirinia as they were led to the guest rooms for visiting dignitaries. She seemed okay for the walk, though a few times, she looked as though she were feeling a little light-headed.

"Mikaen." She murmured when they reached the rooms. She said nothing more, but she didn't need to; he knew from their bond that she wanted him to stay with her.

"I anticipated as much." The Guildmaster said. "You've become something of a celebrity couple in the past few months. Besides, Saera sent me a message this morning. You'll both find the room comfortable, I'm sure."

Sure enough, the room had a bed large enough for the both of them. Tirinia sat down on the edge of the bed the moment the door of the room closed.

"Mikaen." She said, sounding unusually solemn. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you about. Something I think you should know. I'm-"

"A sentient?" He asked, smiling at her.

Tirinia's mouth dropped. "Y-you knew? How long?"

"Since before we left for Ronisgald." He rubbed her cheek, adding, "You talk in your sleep, love."

"I … oh." She blushed beneath her pale fur. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

"It's fine." He told her. "It's not like it changes anything between us. I have to ask, though, what made you finally decide to tell me?"

"I think my Gineros is starting."

"Are you sure?" He asked, sitting beside her and holding her hands.

She nodded. "I know the signs; increased appetite, body cramps, lethargy; I don't know how long I have, but I just … I thought you should know."

"Maybe under the circumstances you shouldn't-" He stopped, the look she had just given him cutting him off.

"I'm not some fragile flower, Mikaen; I'll be fine. I just need a little rest, that's all." She ran her hand over the arch of his right wing, admitting, "To be honest, I'm a little scared."

Mikaen sighed. "I wish I could tell you it didn't hurt, but I'd be lying. The pain was excruciating. Still, the feeling of relief when my wings broke through was …"

He struggled to find the right word for a few moments before continuing, "It made up for the pain."

She smiled, but he could feel she was still nervous. Smiling as his put his arm around her shoulders, he told her, "Don't worry; I'll be with you the whole time … and all the time after, I swear."

"Now and forever." Tirinia repeated, a smile slipping across her face.

As they embraced, Mikaen's hand rubbed across her back gently; it was hard to imagine wings hidden within her slender form. She nestled against his chest, purring with contentment.


	17. Jailbirds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two and Wong: Shenanigans ensue.

Two wasn't sure if he was dreaming or dead; his throat felt like someone had taken a sheet of sandpaper to it, and his eyes might as well have been sealed with super glue. His head pounded with the force of a thousand busy Rimstakken engineers banging their wrenches and hammers against metal girders.

His forehead pulsing with pain, Two cracked his eyelids open a fraction of an inch. That turned out to be a mistake; light pierced through his eye straight into the pain center of his brain. He jammed his eyes shut to block out the brightness, his hands reaching around for a blanket or a pillow, anything he could use to cover his aching head.

Just as the pain of existence became bearable, the shrill voice of Wong sang out, "Nobody knows the trouble I seen! Nobody knows but Bubba Jay!"

Swallowing in an attempt to get his saliva flowing, Two gathered his strength and once again cracked open his eyes. The light sent shocks of pain through his head, but he bore it as best he could as he took in his surroundings.

The metal walls, the double-bunk riveted firmly against the wall, and the no-frills toilet made it clear he was in some sort of jail cell. There were no bars between him and the hallway, but he knew that meant nothing in Rimstak; there could be a forcefield or some kind of magnetic restraining system designed to keep prisoners in their cells.

"Nobody knows-" Wong sang again from the cell across the corridor.

"Shut the hell up!" Two snapped, his pain spiking at the sound of Wong's squeaky singing voice.

Wong beamed at him. "You should thank me. I once sang at the court of her Majesty. Granted, I was on trial for vagrancy and public indecency, but it was still a great performance."

Two glared at him and immediately wished he hadn't; the sudden movement made his headache flare up again. Stumbling toward the cell entrance, he said, "What the hell happened? Last thing I remember was hiding in a barrel to sneak on board the cargo sphere."

"Ah yes, fun times. So much has happened since that wonderful carefree existence we once led."

"Get to the damn point."

Wong pouted. "You're mean again; I liked you better when you were drunk."

"Drunk?" A memory of dozens of bottles of delicious geen wine drifted through the pain-filled haze surrounding Two's head. With a groan, he fell back on the bed.

"It was so much fun!" Wong said happily. "You started singing with me after a few bottles; I bet no one else knows you're a soprano. Then you started talking about all sorts of neat stuff that you and One did ages ago. Seeing how the wine made you all cool, I drank a bottle myself, but it just made me sad and mean, though. I'm glad it wore off; it's hard to be the bringer of mirth and joy when you're feeling cranky. Besides, I couldn't use any of my Dreamer powers, and that sucked."

"Yeah, that happens when we get drunk. Some kinda natural failsafe that kicks in when we lose control of ourselves."

"What?" Wong said, a surprised look on his face. "You mean like if we're possessed or something?"

Two nodded. "It's something about our power needing both will and mental control. Ask Atraius sometime; that guy's had the most experience with that kinda thing." Two rubbed his eyes, memories still hazy. "How'd we end up in a cell?"

"I dunno. I mean, yeah, we kinda drank all that wine, but you really nailed it on the head with those two. I bet they'll send you Christmas cards and everything."

"Vintans celebrate Winter's Rest, not Christmas." Two told Wong, not really sure what the younger Dreamer was talking about, "Still, I guess that means we made it to Rimstak."

With a sigh, Two sat down. His vest pocket bumped against his chest with unusual weight. Curious, he reached into his pocket and felt smooth glass.

"Oh, thank God!" He pulled the bottle out of the small pocket and sent the cork flying out of the neck with a waggle of his finger. As he drank deep of the bottle, his splitting headache faded until it was just a memory.

"Ah!" He gasped as he lowered the bottle to take a breath. "Hair of the dog that bit you, eh?"

Wong gave him a strange look. "You weren't bitten by a dog; you kept hitting on that guard lady. She whopped you on the head."

"Oh. Was she cute?"

Wong nodded.

"Did she say anything?"

"No, but she might have been kicking you in an affectionate sort of way."

"Well, that's something at least." Two took another swallow from the bottle before approaching the cell entrance, his eyes scouring the doorframe. It wasn't the first time he had awoken in a prison cell, and like any good Dreamer, he had learned to be resourceful in a tight situation.

He spat at the entrance, and wasn't surprised when a blue forcefield activated. A quick check of the frame revealed that the casing on the lower right hand frame had been slightly damaged, probably from some past prisoner's assault. Kneeling down, he gripped the damaged shielding with both hands and pulled it away with a grunt, revealing one of the field projectors.

"So," Two asked as he summoned an insulated screwdriver and began to tinker with the projector, "Any sign of One yet?"

"Nah, but I did overhear a guard saying that that guy Mikaen just arrived in Rimstak. One's probably with him, right?"

"Right." Two summoned a wire stripper and began to peel away some of the plastic covering of one of the projector's cables.

Wong sat down at the doorway of his cell and watched with interest as Two continued working. "Can't you just Dreamer it open?"

"I don't need powers to get past this; it's just a norm lock for Christ's sake. Use your powers for every little thing, and you'll end up normed like One." Shaking his head, Two finished stripping the wires.

After looking at the exposed ends for a few moments, he licked his fingers and pinched two of the wires together. The lights of his cell died, but not before he got a nasty shock.

"Aah! Son of a flat-chested lesbian!" Two wrung his now-numb hand while Wong cackled with laughter from his cell across the hall.

Glaring balefully at Wong, Two snapped, "It's not funny."

"You're right. It's hilarious."

"Ha ha ha." Two muttered as he knelt back down beside the door. "We'll see how much you're laughing when I get out of here."

Two picked a different set of wires. Bracing himself for the shock, he pinched them together.

The forcefield to Two's cell died with a fizzle. Two winced at the pain, but knowing he was free did wonders to relieving the stinging sensation in his fingertips.

"All right!" Two said, rubbing his hand as he stood up. "Now to get out of here!"

"Where should we go first?"

Two raised an eyebrow at Wong. "We?"

"Of course! We're a team, aren't we? I mean, just as soon as you open my cell."

"Oh, right. Sure. Give me a second."

Two held his hands at the field and concentrated until the guard finished forming. It was tricky work, but he made sure the guard surrounded the cell just tightly enough to keep Wong from using his powers to deactivate his own forcefield.

They stared at each other for a long moment. A grin slowly spreading across his face, Two turned and very deliberately began to walk away.

"Two! You can't just leave me stuck in here! Think of all the fun adventures we haven't had yet!"

Two was thinking of just that as he continued walking away. As Wong's voice faded behind him, he felt an immense sense of relief at being rid of his youthful ward. He had to fight to keep himself from whistling as he knocked on the cell block door.

A small opening in the top of the door slid open, revealing the eyes of a guard.

"How were you getting out of your cell?" The guard demanded.

"Uh … you forgot to lock me in?"

The door rattled as the guard tried to push it open. His eyes widened. "What are you having done with the door?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Two said with a perfected tone of mock surprise, "I reversed the hinges."

Two kicked the door open, knocking the Rimstakken guard into a locker with enough force to put a dent in the door.

As Two stepped over the guard's unconscious body, he said, "No hard feelings, bud."

With a wave of his hand, Two changed his clothes to match those of the guard. He was a little tall to be mistaken for a Rimstakken, but he felt confidant the Rimstakkens wouldn't notice. After relieving the guard of his keys and his sidearm, Two headed for the door of the station proper.

The station proper was a flurry of movement and flying paperwork, so much so that Two scarcely attracted a second glance. Taking care to appear casual without actually strutting, he started to walk toward the nearest doors.

"You there! Lieutenant."

Two stopped dead in his tracks.

"I am speaking to you directly, Lieutenant!"

Two spun around and saluted. "Yes sir!"

An extremely short Rimstakken with a flushed face pushed his way through the crowd. "We are having a ten-twenty-four classification of illegal floater modification in the Melrose district. It is needing your immediate attention, Lieutenant …"

"er, Lieutenant Lester, Maurice Lester."

The short chief frowned. "Are you being new?"

"A transfer from the Ronisgald Security Force." Two let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes. "Don't tell me they lost my paperwork again."

To Two's relief, the suspicion faded from the chief's eyes. "Hmm. Could be a malfunctioning transceiver, or a glitch in the mainframe; I'll check into it. In the meantime, take a zoomer to Melrose and apprehend the personage of Giavan Lepagie immediately."

Two saluted again, "Sir, yes sir!"

As Two stepped out of the station, he heard someone shout, "Prisoner Ten-fifteen has escaped!"

"What?" The security chief said, "That is being impossible! He is being Galden! How could someone of being taller than most officers be having vanished?!"

Two didn't bother to turn around; as he closed the door behind him, he fused the lock into a useless hunk of metal. It turned out to be a good move; the door began to shake as people inside hammered against it from the inside of the station.

With the police occupied for the time being, Two hurried down the street and ducked into the nearest alley way. A fence blocked his path, but the sides of the buildings on either side of the alleyway were dotted with spinning gears and levers. With a wave of his hand, Two pulled half of the cogs out from their moorings and used them to form a stairway over the back fence of the alley. They wobbled slightly as he put his weight on them, but held their midair positions until he stepped to the next cog.

He was almost over the fence when he heard the explosion that send the doors of the station flying past the alleyway. A few moments later, several security officers rounded the corner of the alley. The cogs had already slid back into their proper places, but two of the officers made it over the fence with grapples. Another simply leapt over the fence, his metal legs shining in the midday sun.

Swearing, Two made a run for it. He may not have had One's Headache or Atraius's paintbrush, but Two had his own way of altering reality. Though his gait never changed, each step propelled him forward further and further. He couldn't keep it up for long, but he didn't have to; the adjoining alley turned into a relatively empty street. Seeing an opportunity, Two turned as soon as he hit the street and quickly ducked into a nearby doorway.

The officers rushed around the corner moments later and immediately stopped dead in their tracks.

"Where is he having gone?" One of them asked, her eyes darting around the street.

The one with spectacles shook his head. "Mayhaps he is truly being a Dreamer."

"That is not being likely." Spoke the third officer with an air of authority. "I am having encountered no less than seventeen miscreants claiming to be a variety of mythical beings. He is a Galden, and will not have been getting far."

Two remained hidden behind a large crate of bolts, focusing his thoughts and powers on being overlooked. It was always a sketchy thing to try and alter a norm's perception, and even more so when said norms were looking specifically for the Dreamer trying to hide.

"Davith, check seventy-seventh street. I will examine Tattels Road. Genina, you are remaining here to ensure he doesn't double back."

"Two down." Two muttered as two of the guards headed down opposite ends of the street. His eyes fell on his Anti-ka Maru. He knew a better Dreamer could get out of his predicament easily with the right plan. Unfortunately, though he remembered being told numerous stories from other Dreamers regarding their narrow escapes, he hadn't really been paying attention to the particulars.

He waited, hoping in vain that the remaining officer would wander off. When she remained resolute at her post, he muttered, "Come on, Two, think! Play to your strengths?"

That was the problem, though; he didn't exactly have the same kind of experience as his fellow Dreamers. He spent most of his time drinking and hitting on women.

An idea popped into his head; normally, One or Teach or someone else would've stopped him right there, but seeing as they weren't there, the thought became a plan without a hitch.

"All right!" Two called out, standing up and stepping out of cover. "Ya got me."

She spun about and held out a hand covered in a metal-mesh glove. "Do not be moving!"

"Can I at least get out of this stall?" He asked, giving her his best innocent look.

After a few moments, she lowered her hand … slightly. "Very well … but keep your movements out of suspicion."

"Fine, fine." He stepped out of the shop and approached her. As he drew near, she lifted her hand again.

"I'm not going to attack you." He told her, chuckling. "Seriously, I give up."

It was clear from the look on her face that she didn't believe him. Two supposed he shouldn't be surprised. It was quite an old trick, though he was about to kick it up to a whole new level.

"Just remain motionless while I inform my superiors." She said.

"There's no need." Two told her. "I can bring them here instantly if you wish."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Then you are truly being a Dreamer?"

Two made a graceful gesture with his hand, stirring the fabric of reality as he did so. A single red rose formed in the air in front of the guard.

"A simple trick." She said, nevertheless looking impressed.

Two smiled at her; he liked a challenge. He reached out with a single finger and tapped the wall beside him. Rose vines shot from the spot he touched, spreading like wildfire across the street. In a matter of moments, every doorway, every window, every bit of technology was now covered with the thick growth of rose bushes and vines. What few people were on the street stared around in amazement, as did Officer Genina.

"Amazing." She whispered, her hand straying to a nearby rose that burst into bloom on Two's mental command.

"It's nothing." Two said, waving his hand dismissively. "A trifle of what I am capable of, if I'm properly motivated."

"But if you are a Dreamer-"

"Why didn't I use my powers to get away?" He reached a hand forward to rub her cheek gently.

She backed away, a smirk on her face. "Why were you found drunk in the cargo sphere?"

"Ah, that's a good question." Two tapped his lips for a moment. "Truth is, I'm not supposed to be here. There's a friend of mine who's in trouble, but my boss doesn't want us to help. Thinks he needs to learn a lesson."

Two let out a pained sigh. "Thing is, the guy's my best friend, so I gotta get him outta trouble. Wouldn't you risk everything to help someone important to you?"

"Yes, I would." Her gaze softened for a moment. Shaking her head, she said, "But you are not answering my question."

"True enough. See, to help my friend, I had to sneak to Vinta from Rising Star. The cargo sphere seemed to be the easiest way, and … well, it was a long trip."

"I believe I am seeing." Genina said, her eyes falling back on the wild growth of roses. "But why be showing yourself to me instead of facilitating an escape?"

"I think you know why." He said softly, stepping closer to her. "Even a Dreamer like me can be stayed by the sight of one so beautiful."

She smiled shyly at him. "Then maybe I am not seeing you, so the brave and handsome Dreamer can rescue his friend."

Grinning, he leaned forward to steal a kiss. The sound of the cuff clicking over his wrists made him freeze instantly.

"Or maybe I am turning him in anyway." She said, smirking. "Surely you didn't think it would be that easy."

Two shrugged. "No, but it was worth a try."

Two grabbed her hands. Before she could protest, he managed to slip both of the cuffs on her.

"How were you having accomplished this?" She whispered, trying in vain to free herself.

Two grabbed the chain between the cuffs and pulled her close. Before she could protest, he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

"Sorry, babe." He told her, truly meaning it. "But I can't help anyone stuck in a cell."

He motioned at a nearby street light, which immediately bent over and looped through Genina's open arms. It straightened back to its normal position in a matter of moments, effectively trapping her there.

With a smile and a final wave, Two took off down the street, leaving the security officer to stare speechlessly after him.

He felt a twinge of guilt as he turned down an adjoining street. After all, she had been rather attractive. Maybe he was just imagining it, but he felt that he actually might have had a shot with the pretty Rimstakken.

"Eh." He muttered to himself as he sprinted past a small group of Rimstakken children in front of a toy store. "Rimstakkens talk too much anyway. Nothin' kills the mood faster than a girl who won't shut the hell up."

A fist shot out of the wall and hit two square in the jaw, sending him hurtling to the ground. As he lay there, wondering what the hell had just happened, the rest of Fate stepped out of the wall.

"Chauvanist pig." She said, rubbing her fist.

"Fate?" Two said disbelievingly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Standing up for my gender."

"No, I mean how the hell did you get to Rimstak? Teach put a guard up!"

"Karma and I hitched a ride on a frigate from Everblue. Now quit stalling and get moving!"

Before he could protest, she shoved him toward the wall. He put up his hands reflexively, but by that time he had already passed through the wall and into what looked to be a dining room.

I glanced up as he stumbled into the center of the room. "Twelve fifteen." I remarked, making a note of his appearance in my black notebook. "Right on schedule."

Two glanced around the room with an expression of surprise. It was understandable; it was rare for so that much of the Elsewhere Incorporate to be in the same room in the Elsewhere itself, let alone in the mainstream. Every Dreamer was there with the notable (and understandable) exceptions of Teach, Wong, and Narrator Number One. All were seated in their usual chairs aside from Luck, who looked quite unhappy.

Oblivious to Two's arrival, Atraius idly twirled the tip of his finger around a flower bud on a small ivy that had sprouted from the armrest of his chair. He was chuckling at Alex, his mental voice saying, "You only eat the flesh of the cherry; the pit is actually quite dangerous."

Alex rubbed his jaw, a small trail of smoke emitting from his nose. "Much call on Faelle for exploding produce?"

"You'd be surprised." Atraius glanced at Two. "Oh. Hey, Two. How's it going?"

"Oh, just about as bad as usual." Two said, summoning his own executive desk chair and taking a seat at the table between Jay and Mom.

"Good." Luck said briskly. "That's everyone, right? Let's get this going."

Fate stepped through the wall. "Not so fast; Wong's not here yet."

"Wong's not going to-" Two's voice fell flat as Wong walked into the room.

"Hi Two!" Wong said excitedly. "You wouldn't believe how I got out of that mess! First, there was this convicted cat burgler just down the-"

"Okay, not everyone's here." Luck interrupted. "Now let's get this over with already!"

"What's the rush, honey?" Jay asked, the smoking end of a blunt held between two fingers.

"Max pulled me away from One in the middle of a massive storm. I need to get back to him before he gets fried, crashes, or runs out of fuel!"

"He already did, Luck." Seeing the devastated look on her face, I quickly added, "Don't worry; he's fine. He's sleeping at a new old friend's place. What's important is that One is safe for the moment. That gives us some time."

"To do what?" Fate asked. "Don't get me wrong, Alan; we all came here at your request because we want to help."

Two gave me an odd look. "I never got a request."

Wong's hand immediately shot into the air. "Ooh! Oh, I did! Me!"

Glaring at Wong, Two asked, "And you were going to tell me this when?"

Wong held up a finger and opened his mouth to respond. Unfortunately, that was as far as he got. He stood there in silence, one finger still raised and his mouth open.

After staring bemusedly at Wong for a few moments, I coughed again and said, "In any case, we're all here to discuss the situation with Teach and One."

The room fell silent. Wong slowly lowered his hand, a blank look on his face.

Atraius coughed. "Perhaps a quick briefing is in order, Alan."

"Good idea." I said, nodding at him. "Then let us begin with the obvious; we all came here because we're worried about One."

Everyone nodded, none as quickly as Luck. Even Two, normally more concerned with himself, agreed with my statement.

"To that end." I continued, "We have circumvented the guard, some of us through rather unorthodox means."

"He means us!" Wong told Two, his whisper loud and obvious. Two scowled at him, but said nothing.

"Teach claims that One is in peril, yet he has insisted we do not interfere, claiming that we'd only get in the way. I can safely guess that everyone here has a problem with this."

I looked around the room; I must admit, it was a bit unnerving to see them all looking at me expectantly seeing as they were the ones who went out on assignments while I stayed in the Elsewhere. Well, most of them anyway.

Shaking my head, I said, "So what are we to do? How are we to assist One?"

The room was completely silent, save for the sound of Jay tapping his lighter against the top of the table, the cherry on his joint glowing brightly as he puffed away in thought.

"Luck." I asked after a few moments. "You said you were helping him. What was your plan?"

"Plan?" She said, sounding surprised. "I just figured I'd keep him safe. I was doing fine too, until Max zapped me here."

"He teleported you here?" I asked curiously. "I wasn't aware we could teleport a Dreamer against his or her will on a whim."

"We can't." Fate said grimly, her eyes on Max. "You'd need some kind of anchored object, and then the person you're looking to teleport would have to touch it."

Max had been sitting quietly at a desk in the corner of the room since I arrived. He was so absorbed in whatever he was doing that he continued working despite the fact that everyone was now looking at him.

I coughed politely, hoping to catch his attention. When he didn't look up, I sighed and said, "Max."

"Hmm." He didn't look up.

"Max, how did you bring Luck here against her will?"

"Just a second."

I opened my mouth to respond, but Two held his hand up to stay me. He rose from his chair and approached Max. After a few moments of silence, Two slammed his hands down on Max's desk. "MAX!"

"Gah!" Max recoiled back, revealing a rather attractive golden pendant on a braided silver necklace. The pendant was no bigger than a quarter; and bore an engraving of the Anti-ka Maru.

"Oooh!" Wong was at the desk in an instant, his eyes shining with delight.

"No!" Max slapped Wong's hands away before the young Dreamer's hands could get near the rune.

Wong rubbed his fingers, a hurt look on his face. "I wasn't gonna-"

"Oh yes, you were. You were gonna poke your greasy little fingers into what's going to save One and screw it all up."

"What?" Luck was on her feet again, looking startled.

Max nodded, lifting the pendant while keeping his eyes on Wong. "Two gave me the idea. I've been working on it for the past few weeks. I call it the Elsewhere Access."

Everyone stared at the pendant. Being a bit of a crafter myself, I was able to focus my attention and see past the simple metal and peer through the lines of power poured into its construction. Layers and layers of intricate design, each more complicated than the last, lay behind the simple glowing lines.

"Most impressive!" The words slipped unbidden from my lips. Quickly recomposing myself, I asked, "Would you care to elaborate on exactly what this Elsewhere Access is?"

"Sure thing. I ... well, I'd better start from the beginning." He cleared his throat and said, "Since the Elsewhere was first formed …"

Jay let out a snore, drawing laughter from a few of the other Dreamers.

"Ahem." Max glared at Jay a moment before continuing, "Since the Elsewhere was formed, being normed has been a problem. Our assignments command all of our skills, and being normed is nothing short of crippling, not to mention dangerous."

"To put it bluntly, getting normed sucks. You can't use any of your Dreamer abilities, you can't call the CPD, and you're mortal. If only we could save a teleportation construct that could zip us back to the Elsewhere, or save a little dream energy to let us still do a little alteration. If only we had access to the wealth of knowledge of the Elsewhere Incorporate while normed, to help avoid accidental death or accidentally borking an assignment."

"If only you'd get to the point." Fate said, smirking.

Max glared at her before turning his attention back to the group. "Look, point is, that's where the Elsewhere Access comes in."

He held up the pendant and called out, "Elsewhere Access!"

The pendant let out a flash of light, after which thousands of glowing symbols spun around Max in a colorful luminescent cloud.

"Whoa!" Two said, his eyes darting at the spinning runes.

"That's nothing. Watch this!" Max tapped three of the runes in quick succession, saying the name of each in turn. "Arsenal, Metal, Club." The runes he tapped swiftly moved directly in front of him, where they began to merge into a single construct.

Once the central construct was solid, Max tapped it with a single finger. With a bright flash, the construct swiftly shifted until it became a metal baseball bat.

Max caught the bat as it fell and handed it to Two. "See? Do you understand now?"

"Huh." Two muttered, hefting the bat. "Always did like the feel of a metal slugger. Still, I could make a dozen appear with a thought."

"Ah, but check this out." He held up his Anti-ka Maru, which was completely dark. If he had used his abilities as a Dreamer, it should've been shining as brightly as the swirling runes.

I leaned forward and said, "Interesting."

"What? What's interesting?" Two looked at me questioningly.

"The bat was formed without dream energy. It was used a dream energy construct, but it pulled its power from something else."

"That's right!" said Max, "Lifestream energy's everywhere, so I figured why not tap into that, eh?"

From the blank look on Two's face, it was clear he didn't understand the significance. After watching him for a few moments, I said, "The Elsewhere Access can put together reality-altering constructs, but uses lifestream energy instead of dream energy."

Two continued to stare at me with a blank look in his eyes.

Fate let out an exasperated sigh and said, "It lets the user do Dreamer things without relying on the Anti-ka Maru."

"Basically, yes." Max said, straightening his headgear. "There are limits, but it should give One an edge while he finishes up the whole Mikaen thing."

"Oh. Oh! I get it now." Two looked at the rune with interest. "Backup Dreamer powers. You said I inspired this?"

"Er, kind of." Max said, rubbing the back of his head. "Like I said, the Elsewhere Access isn't a complete replacement for our powers … at least, not yet. The symbols will take some getting used to as well, but I've taken the liberty of pre-loading it with a few basics. For example:"

He activated the access again and tapped a different set of runes. This time, the energy coalesced around Wong Fo Lee.

"Whoa! Tingly!" Wong said as it began to lift him in the air.

Grinning, Max tapped another rune; instantly, Wong vanished. He reappeared moments later beside Max with the barest flicker of air.

Wong fell to the ground, writhing as he screamed, "It burns! It burns!"

"It does no such thing." Luck retorted, glaring at Wong.

Grinning with a mixture of pride and smugness, Max said, "With this, I can pull up a minimap centered around any member of the Elsewhere, access almost any book on the Elsewhere network, and even set up multi-channel communication between other people with the Elsewhere Access … er, once I finish the others, of course."

"So let me get this straight." Luck said, holding up a hand to forestall further conversation. "You used your little construct to yank me across the planet against my will."

"Correct!" Max said, nodding.

"And you knew I was near One?"

Max tapped the pendant. "Saw it on the minimap function."

"Okay, that's fine and all, but why didn't you just teleport One here? I mean, wasn't helping him the whole reason we came here in the first place?"

Max opened his mouth, the look on his face convincing me for a moment that he had an answer. As the seconds passed in silence, however, it became clear that he did not.

Luck crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. "Well?"

His cheeks red, Max activated the pendant again and began looking through the symbols. "Just a sec; no problem, no problem at all."

"Maybe he's better off where he is." Fate said, shaking his head.

"It's fine." Max assured us. "Here, see? Teleport, One, Local. Activating in three … two … one … now."


	18. The Old Switcheroo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One wakes up in a precarious place at precisely the wrong time.

Glen froze as Teria caught him looking at her.

"What?" She asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"Nothing." He kept walking, his eyes searching through the darkness for anything that would show him the way out.

Teria grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. "If you've got something to say, just say it."

"Fine. This is all your fault."

"My fault?" She asked, feigning surprise.

"Yes, your fault. I told you there was something suspicious about that woman."

Teria put her hands on his hips, an annoyed look on her face. "Excuse me? We came here to help you, in case you forgot."

"Yes, help me remove pendant you tricked me into wearing."

Teria opened her mouth to continue arguing when a rage-filled scream tore through the air. Glen spun about, Headache at the ready, but there was nothing there; the scream was just an echo.

Teria hugged against him, a fearful look in her eyes. "Oh, crap! She found us!"

"Bound to happen sooner or later. Come on!"

Glen and Teria hurried through the caves. Teria hugged against his side as they stumbled through the dark. Glen found her warmth a bit distracting, but the continued shrieks of the angry sorceress helped keep his mind on the task at hand.

"Light!" Teria said suddenly, pointing straight ahead. Sure enough, it looked as though the chamber grew brighter up ahead.

"It's too dim for sunlight." Glen said, but Teria was already running toward the path.

"Come on!" She called out, not stopping.

Sighing, Glen hurried after her.

As he rounded the corner, he felt his muscles clench. For a moment, he thought he saw the Sorceress Ackibar; her coldly beautiful face staring down at him with a faint smirk on her lips.

It wasn't truly her, however; it was merely a stone statue in the center of a small grove of trees with glowing leaves.

"These are Noktal." Teria whispered, her hand rubbing against the smooth bark of a tree. "I'm sure of it, but I've never seen any glow like this before."

Glen shook his head; the soft glow of the room made him sleepy. How long had it been since he and Teria had escaped their cell? Hours? Days? Just thinking about it made Glen's bones ache.

He took a few steps toward one of the trees before he caught himself. "Oh, no; we're not making it that easy."

Out of the corner of his eye, however, he saw Teria let out a yawn. "I think I'll just have a little nap before we move on."

"Teria!" He said, catching her before she could lay down. "Come on! We can't stop now."

"Why not?" Teria asked, her words beginning to slur. "It's so nice here. She probably won't think to look this far away."

"It's a trap." He told her. "You're not really tired; the Noktal are just putting out a psychic aura that makes you think you're tired!"

She let out a small snore; she was already asleep.

Glen felt the drowsiness seeping into his own mind. He tried to shake it off, but it was getting stronger by the minute.

"Should've asked her to order me to stay awake." He mumbled to himself as he staggered toward the exit on the far side of the grove.

The glowing of the trees intensified. "Relax." whispered the leaves as though blown by an unseen wind. "Rest."

"I … have to … have to protect her." He struggled to stay on his feet, but Teria was growing heavy in his arms. Looking at the entrance, he knew he'd never reach it before sleep overtook him.

Gathering every bit of consciousness he had left, he carried Teria behind one of the larger trees, where he hoped they would be sufficiently obscured from either entrance to the grove.

"I'm sorry." Glen said as he sank to the ground, lethargy finally overtaking him.

Teria nestled closer to him, her arms wrapping tightly around his shoulder as he followed her into unconsciousness.

One opened his eyes. The early morning light was just beginning to seep through the blinds, filling the room with a warm, gentle light.

"Memories." One murmured, closing his eyes. Life had been so simple when his lost memories existed only as artifacts in Naomi's cabinet. Well, perhaps not easier: he simply hadn't realized the complicated bits were there.

But was he worse off for knowing? Would he prefer to forget Teria should the chance arise? Definitely not, he thought with a firmness that surprised him. Having her in his life felt right. He just wished he could still be with her.

The shame came almost immediately; he was in a relationship with Luck, and had no intention of endangering that. He cared a great deal for Luck.

"And I care a great deal for Teria." He said, the recently resurfaced memories swimming in his mind.

One thought he was over this, that he had made his choice, but he kept finding himself back at the same question over and over again; for whom did he care more, Luck or Teria? He wasn't sure what made him feel worse: the fact he couldn't tell for whom he cared more, or the fact that his indecision struck him as way too damn wishy-washy.

He was still berating himself when a furry arm fell over his chest.

His eyes shot open. He glanced at his side to see Tirinia sleeping blissfully beside him, wearing nothing more than a small smile.

One barely had time to come to grips with his situation when the door to the chamber burst open.

"Get up, you two." Teria said, her eyes on what looked to be some sort of newspaper. "We got a Glyche ruin to-"

She glanced up and immediately stopped in her tracks. The magazine fell from her hand moments later.

"Teria? Oh, son of a-" One tried to extract himself from Tirinia's grasp, but she just nestled more tightly against him. "Teria, this isn't what it looks like."

Anger slowly crept across her face. Just looking at her made One's blood go cold. She turned abruptly and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her loud enough to make Tirinia stir. She finally let go of him and rolled over to the other side of the mattress, taking most of the sheets and quilts with her.

One leapt out of the bed and hurried out of the room just in time to see the elevator closing with Teria inside.

Taking a quick glance around the hallway, One spotted one door with a vaguely stair-like symbol on it. He shoved the door open and started running down the stairs, leaping as many as five or six steps at a time.

As he neared the bottom, some kind of hover trolly began to move upstairs; with a wild leap, he cleared the trolly and the Rimstakken maid controlling it. Stumbling slightly out of the door, he glanced around in time to see the elevator opening.

As Teria stepped out, he called out, "Teria, wait a sec!"

She stomped forward without a second glance at him. He followed her into a wide lobby that was positively packed with people, mostly Rimstakkens standing in line in front of a stately desk in the forefront of the floor. Each Rimstakken was clutching a machine of some sort, save those who were riding in or being carried by their machines.

Stumbling past a man in an exoskeleton lined with drums, One finally managed to catch Teria's arm.

She whirled about, her anger making him take a reflexive step back.

"Look, Teria, I know what it looks like. Just give me a chance to explain."

She crossed her arms and regarded him impatiently.

Nodding, he said, "It's like this; after I got separated from you guys, a bunch of pirates led by my ex-girlfriend Ukaroh captured me and threw me into a cage until I agreed to get back together with her. Luck broke me out and we managed to steal a fighter and sneak away while Captain Morgan distracted the Saints with the Popehat. We were heading to Rimstak, but we got caught in a storm and Luck disappeared before I crashed into Rising Star …y'know, the sentient's floating continent? Anyway, I met a wild-sentient named Skims who I'm going to meet for the first time in the future, and he and his wife let me stay the night in their house."

"And how does that bring you to sleeping with my sister?" Teria asked coldly.

"Magic?" One said, raising an eyebrow.

Teria hit One hard enough to knock him back into a pair of accordion-wielding Rimstakkens. She stormed out of the lobby without another word, the other Rimstakkens very wisely moving out of her path.

One lay on the floor in a daze; his entire face was pulsing with pain, and he was pretty sure he could taste blood in his mouth. That wouldn't have been so bad if the room would quit spinning around so much.

A vaguely familiar face looked down at him. The familiar man asked him something, but everything was already growing dark in his vision. With a goofy smile on his face, One closed his eyes and let the darkness take him.

"One? Oh, no, don't fall asleep!" Maxim swore loudly and looked around the room. Rimstakkens were crowding around them, one offering a sinister-looking device she promised would help reduce One's cranial swelling.

"Ease off!" Maxim said as he lifted One from the ground and threw him over his shoulder. "Guy needs a doctor, and I have just the android in mind."

After a short ride to the docking bay, Maxim carried One up the loading ramp of the Phoenix, where Kajex was waiting.

"Wow. You're on time for a change." Kajex's eyes widened at the sight of Maxim's passenger. "Wait, isn't that-"

"Yeah, it's One. Teria just slugged him good."

"Slugged him? He's a Dreamer."

"Well, I guess that's not enough to stop it from hurting."

"But I thought she liked the guy."

"I dunno; she said something about him sleeping with her sister. Nocturnes, I didn't even know One was here."

Kajex shook his head as he followed Maxim onto the Phoenix. "Looks like he wishes he wasn't."

Suzette activated the moment they entered the medical bay. "Can I … oh, goodness gracious!"

She floated over to Maxim and picked One off his shoulder with a tractor beam emitted from her hand. Carefully turning him in mid-air until he was lying flat on his back, she set him gently on one of the beds and immediately activated some sort of body scanner.

"What happened?" She asked as the scanner swept slowly over One's body.

"He had a bad run-in with Daughter Myssohn." Maxim said.

"Did she hit him with a truck?" Shaking her head, she said, "Well, it's good you brought him here."

"I happened to be in the right place at the right time. Well, for me anyway." Maxim glanced at his brother. "So, how's it going with Shae?"

"I told you, there's nothing between me and the Guildmaster's Daughter." Kajex said, his cheeks flushing.

"Then you're doing it wrong." Maxim clapped his brother on the back. "Admit it; you like her."

"Well? She's very likeable. I'm telling you, we're nothing more than friends."

"Uh-huh. 'Scuse me a second." Maxim tapped part of his metal arm, activating a holographic console interface.

As he started tapping at the glowing controls, Kajex asked, "What are you doing?"

"Just making a little call. Ah, good! She picked up. Hey, Shae! Is that you?"

"It is being so. This is being Maxim?"

"It certainly is." Maxim said, grinning at the look of alarm on his brother's face. "Say, would you like to go on a date with my brother?"

Kajex tried to grab his brother's arm, but Maxim fended him off easily.

"I am begging your pardon?" Shae asked, her tan cheeks growing dark.

"Yeah, Kajex really likes you, and he wants to get to know you better, but he's just too damn stubborn to admit it. You should see the fight he's putting up right now."

"He is being in the room?"

Kajex froze immediately, his hands inches from Maxim's arm.

"Well?" Maxim asked Kajex, "You want to tell her you're not really interested?"

Kajex's eyes darted from Maxim to the radio, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"Kajex?" Shae said. "What Maxim is having said before in front of my father … is it being truthful? Did you stay aboard the Phoenix to be spending time with me?"

"Of course he did." Maxim replied before Kajex could respond.

"Please, Maxim; I am wanting to hear it from Kajex."

Shrugging, Maxim held out his arm to Kajex so that he could see her face on the holographic interface.

He stared at the screen for a few moments open-mouthed for a few moments before finally admitting. "Yes. I … I came along because I wanted to spend more time with you. I'm not saying-"

Maxim yanked the phone back, "Yes, yes, you can talk all about it on your date tonight. He'll meet you at in the lobby an hour or so before sunset. Sound good?"

"I am very much looking forward to it!" Shae said beaming happily at Kajex.

"S-so am I." Kajex stammered.

Grinning, Maxim deactivated the holo-interface. After a few moments he glanced up at his brother. "I don't hear a thank you."

"You're an ass, you know that?" Kajex said as he left the room, seemingly unaware of the smile on his face.

Maxim chuckled. "You're welcome, bro."

As Kajex left the room, Suzette asked, "You think they'll work out?"

"Eh. There's always a chance, right?" He gave her a wink before asking, "So, our Dreamer gonna pull through?"

She nodded. "I think so. He has a nasty concussion, but I'll have him fixed in an hour or so."

"Awesome work, Suzy. I'd better go let the Guildmaster know we've got another guest."

As he left the room, he took a final glance at One, who was sporting an impressive black eye. Chuckling, he muttered, "Ain't love wonderful?"


	19. New Horizons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikaen wakes up to find himself on Rising Star. With the help of Skims, he reaches the city of Niriia, home of the alcian-tribe sentients.

Mikaen woke up in a strange room, only to find a man with red-feathered wings staring curiously at him.

"Agh!"

Instinctively backing away, Mikaen soon found himself out of bed and fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Skims hopped over the bed and offered his hand to Mikaen. "You okay, Mikaen?"

"How do you know my name?"

"One told me."

"One?" Mikaen looked around the room. "Is he here?"

"Not anymore. Come, have breakfast!"

Without waiting for an answer, Skims ran out of the room.

Mikaen sat on the floor for a few minutes, not sure what to think of his current situation. It wasn't the first time he had woken up in a strange place, but his arrival on Vinta had been turbulent, almost uncontrolled. He had felt nothing this time; he had fallen asleep with Tirinia in his arms, only to awaken somewhere else.

His eyes fell to One's gear. At first, he suspected that One had regained his powers, but if that was so, why would he have left Headache and his tek-boots behind? Why would he have teleported Mikaen without any word?

"I just know this is bad news." Mikaen said, his tone glum.

A gentle knock sounded on the bedroom door. "Sir Mikaen?"

Mikaen looked up curiously at the sound of the woman's voice. "It's all right. You can come in."

The door opened to reveal Myria bearing a package.

"Your arrival wasn't too much of a shock, I hope." She said, handing him the package.

"That depends." Mikaen replied, setting the package aside. "Where am I?"

"You are on Rising Star, the floating home of the sentients."

Mikaen's eyes went wide. "But I thought …"

"Please, Sir Mikaen; you need to get dressed before you go to see Truth."

"Truth?"

She patted the top of the package. "You should find everything is your size. If you need help with your shirts, feel free to ask; I know you aren't familiar with sentient styles."

"Er, thank you." Mikaen said, trying to ignore the surreal feeling stealing over him.

She bowed politely before heading for the door.

"One moment!" said Mikaen. "Who are you?"

"You can call me Myria. I believe you met my husband, Skims?"

Once she was gone, Mikaen tore open the package. There was a fair stack of clothes and gear inside, along with a note written in One's handwriting. Mikaen read the note curiously:

Hey, Mikaen. Don't worry about Tirinia; she's fine. I'm a bit less so, but hey; that's life for a Dreamer, eh? I made sure to get these clothes in your size. A bit fancier than your tastes, but appropriate for an audience with Andreas Truth.

You're probably wondering why you're there, and where the hell I am if I had the forethought to leave a package for you. Normally, I'd just let you stew on it, but given everything we've gone through (will go through? Ah, nothing like chronology) I believe you deserve a proper explanation. Your arrival (and my subsequent departure) are due to an odd magical phenomenon called 'the old Switcheroo'. I'll spare you the full explanation; suffice it to say, someone in Rising Star tried to teleport you there while someone in Rimstak tried to teleport me back, and the close proximity of the spells made us switch places instead. If memory serves, we'll both have our hands full, but trust me when I say it's better this way.

You need to meet with Andreas Truth; he is the leader of all the sentient tribes, and a very wise fellow. A bit paranoid, but with good reason; still, try not to antagonize him if you can help it. It might take a few days to get an audience, but trust me when I tell you that meeting with him is critically important.

I know this isn't much help, but I'm sure you can handle yourself. The Phoenix will be up and running soon, so feel free to explore Rising Star. I'm sure you must be curious about your heritage and all. Just don't get to comfortable; we still have the Revs to deal with, y'know.

Take care of yourself until we come to pick you up.

Narrator Number One

P.S. I finished fixing up Justice too, though it'll be a bit different than you remember it. And don't forget Headache! I can make new tek-boots, but I'll need Headache back at some point.

P.S.S. Avoid the purple stuff at breakfast; Myria read the recipe wrong, and the last thing you need is a sour stomach.

As soon as Mikaen read the last few words, all the letters began to spin around the page until the ink formed a single solid arrow.

Grinning, Mikaen set the compass on the dresser and began to get dressed. Fortunately, he instinctively knew how to put on most of the clothes, though the shirt and over-shirt took a little trial-and-error to get on over his wings. He disregarded the fancy shoes, instead opting to use One's Tek-boots. He felt oddly naked without the extra armor plating, but the boots fit him well enough.

"Probably best to not approach the leader of Rising Star armed to the teeth." His eyes fell on the hilt of Justice. Despite his words, he couldn't help but pick up his old weapon. As he pressed the blade release, a thin beam of energy projected from the hilt. It was about three feet in length and seemed a little thinner than the standard Galden energy blades.

"Huh." Mikaen said, turning the weapon over in his hand. "Not bad, One. Not bad at all."

Once he had finished dressing, he left the room and made his way to the kitchen. Skims was downing his breakfast with great gusto while Myria sipped a cup of something that smelt strongly of peaches.

"Ah, he rises!" Myria smiled kindly at him. "That clothing really suits you."

"Thank you." Mikaen replied politely as he sat down at the table. "One sends his thanks as well."

Skims let out a chuckle. Seeing Mikaen's curious look, Skims replied, "He not thank us when he realize what older self asked."

"Older self?"

"One from the future." Myria explained. "He didn't bother leaving himself a letter, at least not with us. He told us that this would happen, but made us promise not to tell his younger self despite it creating a situation."

"I don't understand."

"You switched places with him."

"I still don't …" Mikaen stopped as he realized where One was going to wake up. "Oh, lord. Teria was going to meet us for breakfast, too."

Shaking his head, he said, "One's a tough guy. I'm sure he'll be okay, and I trust him not to try anything funny with Tirinia. He's got his hands full with Luck and Teria anyway."

After a nice breakfast of biscuits, fruit, and sausages, (sans the purple gel-like substance One warned Mikaen about) Myria rose from her chair and said, "I hope you enjoyed it."

"It was excellent." He told her, rising as well.

"Thank you. And now, if you're ready, you should be on the way to Niriia."

"Is that where Andreas Truth lives?"

She shook her head. "Truth lives in Solstice Spire, which is in the center of Niriia. Unfortunately, our past relations with Truth make meeting him less than desirable. Still, I'm sure the alcians can help you get inside the tower."

This brought an important question to Mikaen's mind. "He does know I'm coming, right?"

"Of course." Myria glanced worriedly at Skims for a moment before adding, "I mean, he was the one trying to teleport you to the tower. I'm sure he wouldn't be too surprised if you just showed up."

Mikaen bit back a sarcastic remark. Skims and Myria had been very understanding of the whole situation, especially considering that he was a stranger to them both. There was no need to vent his cynicism on them.

"Ready?" Myria asked, raising her hands toward a blank expanse of wall.

Mikaen picked up Headache. "Ready."

After giving him a final smile, she closed her eyes and turned to the wall. It rippled like wind-blown fabric for a few moments before the portal opened with a bright flash. Once the light faded, Mikaen could see an old fountain in a cobblestone pavilion beyond the swirling portal boundary.

"Go ahead." She told him, a slight sweat forming on her brow.

"Thanks, Myria. Skims." With a final polite bow to Skims, Mikaen stepped through the portal.

The world rushed around him for a few moments, a sea of swirling colors and strange landscapes twisting in his view. It felt much smoother than his memories of the portal that brought him to Vinta, though to be fair, his portal was beside a rip. That much rampant magical energy was certain to make it a bumpy ride.

The swirling colors abruptly stopped, once again becoming a large marble fountain surrounded by cobblestone streets. The fountain portrayed a beautiful woman with feathered wings and very sparse clothing. The stonework was very impressive; even a skilled shaper couldn't have done better.

A few sentients were around, mostly sitting on benches or the lip of the fountain, all with feathered wings. Most had brown or gray feathers, though a few odd colors were present here and there. They all bowed their heads respectfully at Mikaen, which he returned automatically. The closest, a man with wings colored like those of a blue jay, was only a few feet away.

The trip hadn't been as bad as he had expected. He was tempted to create his own portal back to Rimstak, but quickly dismissed the thought. The last time he had tried, it had worn him out for almost a week. Besides, he was intrigued about meeting Andreas Truth, and One had said it was important.

"Still." He murmured, "At least I know I can get back to the others later."

As the portal closed behind him with a loud swoosh, the sentient with the blue-jay wings approached Mikaen. He crossed his arms on his chest, palms flat against is chest as he bowed his head. Mikaen instinctively did the same, somehow knowing it was a gesture of polite welcome.

The man smiled at Mikaen, saying, "We don't get many new faces around here anymore. Who are you, brother, and from where do you hail?"

"I'm Mikaen, from Homestead."

The man didn't bother to hide his astonishment. "Really? You live down in the Prylliat woods like a ground-dweller? Fascinating!"

"Not really." The sentient seemed like a good-natured fellow, so Mikaen decided to tell him the truth. "I've lived on the surface all my life, but not on Vinta. I'm from a world called 'Earth'."

"Now that is really fascinating! Tell me, did all sentients on this Earth of yours live on the surface?"

"Not exactly; there really weren't any other sentients … at least, none that I knew of. Seed Gelanis of the Ircandesta Center of Knowledge believes I was originally from here."

"Really? Amazing." He stared at Mikaen for a few moments before shaking his head and saying, "Oh, pardon me! Where are my manners? Kanik Jesco at your service; I'm a Priat of Ground and Skies."

He made a peculiar gesture with his hands that Mikaen found himself repeating instinctively. It was strange how natural it felt; he even knew that a Priat was the equivalent of a college professor.

"So," Kanik said, "This is your first visit to the homeland?"

"Yes, it is. I'm supposed to meet with Andreas Truth."

"The Seschal? So then you're one of the Elated!"

"The Elated?"

"It's …" He fumbled with words for a moment before shaking his head. "It's complicated. Still, it's an honor knowing that I could be speaking with the next Seschal!"

"I don't know what that is." Mikaen told him truthfully. "I meant to research my tribe, but things down there have been getting a little hectic."

"Well, think nothing of it, my serious young friend! Allow me to be your guide through this city of light!"

A city of light it was indeed; everything in Niriia was made of white or near white materials lovingly shaped into whatever form was needed. Homes of living wood merged seamlessly with ivory and stone filled every street and stretched into the sky on a web of smooth buttresses, stretching pillars, and floating paths and arches. There was a sense of flow about the place; this was a city built for people who could fly, for people who relished the feel of the breeze and the sight of the sky.

It was more than just the architecture, however; there was something about Niriia that exuded a sense of peace over Mikaen. He felt relaxed, almost as much as he did when he was with Tirinia. Her thoughts merged with his momentarily; she was grateful to know he was okay, but he could feel a slight confusion at the edge of her mind. He sent back his love and reassurance, wishing he could do more than send his feelings.

Kanik lead him through the city until they reached a magnificent floating palace in the center of a massive hole in the island.

"Whoa!" Mikaen said, drinking in the magnificence of it all.

Kanik nodded approvingly. "Solstice Spire is quite the sight, no?

"Spire? It looks more like a castle."

"True. Still, the Seschal calls it a spire, and I'm not going to argue with the man who created it."

"He built the spire?"

"He built everything. The Seschal always has great power, though only a few have used it with as much grace as Lord Truth." Kanik swept an arm out over the city. "All of this was just a little patch of dirt floating over a field when he started, and now … well, just look at it. Lord Andreas is a master Builder."

"Builder?" Mikaen asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.

"Indeed. An ancient, yet proud position handed down from our ancestors. You know what they say; a Builder doesn't just see what's there; he or she sees what could be there."

Mikaen couldn't help but think of One. Knowing as much about the Elsewhere as he did, he couldn't help but wonder if there was some connection.

They stared at the tower for a while longer before Kalik said, "Well, let's get you a place to stay."

"What about the Seschal?"

"Of course he ... oh, right; you wouldn't know. Lord Truth never takes callers during the day. He doesn't want to endanger his wife."

"She can't stand sunlight?"

"Something like that." Kalik motioned for Mikaen to follow. "Come on; there are empty houses all over the place just waiting for an owner. Let's see if we can't find something that suits your taste."

"I can just take a house as my own?"

"An empty house, yeah. There aren't as many sentients around these days." A look of sadness crossed his face for a few moments. "I wish I knew where they were all going."

Mikaen wasn't sure what to say. "Are they just leaving?"

"I guess so. Don't misunderstand me; Niriia never has been exactly bustling. Still, this city has felt empty these past few decades." He smiled, adding, "Still, that's good news for you: Lots of empty houses just waiting for someone to take residence."

As Kalik started to lead him away, Mikaen took another look at Solstice Spire. It was quite a sight, but something about it bothered him, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Coming, Mikaen?"

Mikaen shook his head and hurried to catch up with Kalik. "I'm right behind you."


	20. Adjustment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a brief stop in the Dream Realm, One awakens in Rimstak and rejoins the team

One sat up abruptly. He was back in the Dream Realm.

A pat on his arm signaled the presence of CthuBob. He looked at One's face and made an inquisitive burbling sound.

"I'm okay." He said, rubbing CthuBob's fuzzy head. "Waking up isn't going to be fun, though. Here's a tip, if you ever find yourself in the mainstream; don't piss off a tigreth."

After glancing around for a moment, One asked, "Where's Nixil?"

CthuBob raised his tiny hands. With a smile, One lifted the little fellow high enough for him to climb on One's shoulders. In a moment, they were flying through the Twilight.

It didn't take them long to get back to Paena. After navigating through the tall buildings, One and CthuBob drew near a massive tower in the center of the city that served as the local headquarters for the Shining Force.

They entered the lobby without attracting much attention; One looked positively clandestine as compared to wild variety of nixils milling about the lobby. As he approached the front counter, however, a four-armed woman with horns glanced up at him.

"Ah, Narrator Number One." She said pleasantly. "They're waiting for you up above. I'll call the lift."

The lift was a gilded cage just big enough for four or five passengers. It floated down the center of the chamber before stopping less than a foot from the ground. Once One and CthuBob were inside, it started to rise once again.

"So." One asked as they rode the lift, "Anything else make it through since the last time I was here?"

CthuBob shook his head.

"Any word from Alan? Another message maybe?"

He shook his small green head again.

Sighing, One mused, "Probably still waiting for me. Creator only knows where I am now."

CthuBob patted the ground.

"Yes, CthuBob." One said, smiling. "I'm certainly here."

The lift doors swung open to reveal a large office. The woman sitting at the desk would've passed for an idestan, though her skin was black instead of brown. One knew her as Lady Kyren Heighley, head Knight of the Paena Chapter of the Shining Force. She was currently talking to Nixil, who was perched on her lamp.

She smiled as One approached. "Ah, just the man I needed to see."

"Sorry for the delay, Lady Heighley." He said, shaking her hand. "Things have been a bit crazy of late."

"So I understand. I trust things have been going better in the mainstream side of things?"

"Not exactly." Clearing his throat, One asked, "Have you had any luck finding the one?"

"Not as of yet." She told him. "But we've contacted the other chapters to keep an eye out for it. I don't suppose you can tell me what it is?"

One shook his head. "Nothing I've ever seen before. It was humanoid; I got a good look of it before it started changing. Thing is, I've never heard of that sort of thing happening before; most mainstreamers who end up in the Dream Realm either end up as Wanderers."

CthuBob tugged at One's shirt and let out an inquisitive burble.

"Alan never told you?" One asked, surprised. "A Wanderer's a mainstreamer who finds a way into the dream realm. Without the nixil to shield their minds, they wander the Dream Realm until they lose all of their memories of the mainstream, at which point they become a scarecrow, a teddy, or a doll."

"Those things didn't look like any wanderer I've ever seen." Nixil said, landing on One's other shoulder. "And they changed in less than a minute. It takes years for wanderers to settle on a final form."

"There's definitely something weird going on here." One scratched his cheek for a moment before asking, "Have you asked any of the other Dreamers, Lady Heighley?"

She let out a sigh. Rising from her chair, she turned to face the window that dominated the back of her office. "We haven't heard from any of the other Elsewhere Dreamers."

"That's odd." One said, shaking his head. "And the Klonoans?"

"Quiet. I'd say strangely so, but-"

"-but they are Klonoan." One finished.

Klonoans were natural Dreamers, but very secretive; their existence would still be unknown to the Elsewhere had Fate not happened upon one of their towns by accident. They always had an ear to the state of the Dream Realm, though their relationship with the Elsewhere Incorporate had always been a bit strained.

"I'll head to Joyce and see if I can't find out something." One said. Two steps toward the cage lift, however, he felt the pull of the mainstream.

"Dammit." He said. "Looks like I'm heading back early. Nixil?"

"I've got it." Nixil grabbed CthuBob and carried him toward the lift. "We'll head to Joyce."

As the Dream Realm began to fade, Nixil called out, "And for your own sake, just go to sleep next time; all this getting knocked out can't be healthy for you."

One's return to consciousness came with no small amount of pain; his head that felt as though it had taken a trip through a tumble dryer, and one of his eyes was swollen to the point that he could only half open it. A glance at the reflective metal on the side of a medical cart confirmed that he had one beauty of a black eye.

"Cyber-cripes." He murmured, bringing a hand to his aching head. He tried to sit up, only to have some kind of energy field push him back.

"What the …?" He turned his head to see Suzette working near a wall console. "Suzy?"

"Oh, One! You're awake!" She hurried over to him and tapped something on the console at the head of the bed. "There! You can sit up now."

"What the hell happened?" One asked, wincing as he sat up.

"Maxim Windstar mentioned something about having a bad encounter with one of the Myssohns when he brought you here."

"Right." He said, trying to ignore the pain coursing through his head as he hopped off the bed. "She punched me, not that I can blame her. It did look pretty bad."

"I don't understand."

"Just one of the universe's little jokes, Suzette." He told her. "On me as usual."

"Well, hold still for a second, and I'll give you a quick injection for the eye."

He winced at the sudden prick of a needle. In a few moments, however, he felt the pressure of his swollen face begin to alleviate.

He could open his eye properly by the time Tirinia entered the medical bay, carrying Mikaen's tek-boots. "One? Are you okay?"

Before One could respond Suzette flew right up to Tirinia's face, looking quite stern for a cute pink android. "I know tigreth culture accepts a bit of roughness among friends, but you nearly put him in a coma!"

"B-but I d-didn't …"

"Easy, Suzy." One said. "Teria's the one who hit me, not Tirinia."

"Oh." Her metal cheeks glowed. "I'm sorry, Miss Tirinia."

"It's fine." Tirinia said, a relieved smile on her face. "Is he fit to walk?"

Suzette gave One a quick scan and nodded. "He should be good, though you should bring him back here if he starts to feel dizzy."

"Thanks for patching me up." One said.

She bobbed her head. "No problem. Just remember to duck next time someone takes a swing at you."

One nodded at the tek-boots as Suzy busied herself on the other side of the bay. "What's up?"

"Oh!" Tirinia set the tek-boots on the side of the bed and said, "Seeing as you got teleported here without any of your gear, I thought Mikaen wouldn't mind if you borrowed his tek-boots. I'd offer his armor, but-"

"-but it's modified for sentients, which would leave a big hole on my back. Still, I appreciate the boots."

One put on Mikaen's tek-boots; the extra greave protection felt odd, but also reassuring. It made walking a little stiff, but if One was used to anything, it was adapting. It didn't take much to link them with the Impulse harness.

As they walked out of the room, One turned to Tirinia. "Look, Tirinia, about earlier-"

Tirinia's giggling cut him off. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, I'm glad my pain amuses you."

"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to laugh at you." She said, having the good courtesy to look embarrassed. "It's just … the whole situation really is funny."

"Hilarious." One replied dourly. "I particularly like the part where Teria thought I was sleeping with you and punched me across the room."

"Oh, she'll calm down, I'm sure of it. I mean, when you think about it, it really makes no sense, seeing as you're the one who brought Mikaen and I together in the first place. Besides, if you were able to teleport, I'm pretty sure you would've done so before she hit you."

"Yeah, I still don't have my powers back." He stopped abruptly as he realized something else: "No Headache either. Damn."

One stared at his hands. Without his powers, all he had was Headache, and now even they were well beyond his reach. Without Headache, he felt oddly naked and weak.

Glancing down at his clothes, he said, "I guess it could be worse; at least I've still got the clothes on my back. I'm just glad I didn't bother taking off the harness."

"If it helps …" Tirinia held out Truth.

One started to take the blade when it occurred to him that he didn't have the foggiest idea of how to fight with a melee weapon. He was a brawler; the closest he came to fighting with a sword was when he used Headache's fusion blade, and that only lasted a few moments.

"You hold onto it for now, Tyr." One said with a sigh. "I'm sure Mikaen would rather you have it. I'll just have to make do without."

"Well, we are in Rimstak." Tirinia reminded him as they left the medical bay. "Couldn't you build another Headache?"

"Huh. A new Headache." He said, scratching his chin. "I guess there were a few kinks I was wanting to work out."

"First things first." Tirinia said, sounding very motherly all of a sudden, "Where is Mikaen? I can still sense him, but he's too far for us to communicate through our bond."

One shrugged. "Rising Star, I'd imagine. I'll be damned if I know why we just suddenly switched places though."

"He'll be safe then?" Tirinia asked earnestly, gripping his arm.

One couldn't help but smile at her. It was reassuring to see that at least something was still going right. "Skims and his wife are good people; I'm sure he'll be fine. Hell, he'll probably portal back here before the end of the day."

"If he remembers." Tirinia blushed and said, "He can be a little forgetful, especially about his sentient heritage."

"Well, even if he doesn't remember he can portal, I'm sure he'll remember you and figure it out. Say, how's he feeling through the bond?"

"He's trying to be reassuring, but I can feel he's a little nervous about something."

One smiled at her. "Are you sure it's his nervousness?"

"Maybe not." She admitted. "We've never been this far apart before. I don't like it."

"I'm sure he feels the same way." One said, patting her arm. "You two have been inseparable of late. Have you set a date yet?"

"Not yet." She admitted. "But we're thinking something nearer Winter's Rest."

"Really?" One said, a smile on his face. "You know, I could probably get Alex to agree to let you use his floor for the ceremony."

"His floor? You mean, in the Elsewhere?" Tirinia said, her eyes wide.

One nodded. "We decorate the Great Hall for the winter holidays. It'd certainly make for a memorable ceremony."

"I'd imagine any ceremony in the Elsewhere would be memorable." She said with a chuckle. She slipped her arm around his. "Thank you."

"It's nothing." He told her, patting her arm. "I get all the thanks I need seeing you crazy kids doing so well. Besides … you remind me of my sister."

Tirinia looked at him, surprised. "Your sister?"

"Yeah, Tia. You even look like her."

"She was tigreth? Like Maria?"

"Yeah." One let out a sigh. "First person I met after the Devastation. We were both in a state, but at least we had each other to muddle through it."

"What happened to her?"

One's smile fell. "She survived the Devastation … but not the Revs. She was at the Rangers HQ when the Revs turned on us."

"Oh." Tirinia's grip tightened on his arm. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He assured her. "That was a long time ago."

After a few moments of silence, Tirinia asked, "But you could go and save her, right? I mean, I've read stories about Dreamers traveling in time … or is that more misinformation?"

"No, it's true. We can move through time … well, your time." Seeing her curious expression, he said, "Dreamers exist in a separate timestream. I can move around the mainstream time, but I can't move around in Dreamer time. You understand?"

"Not really." Tirinia confessed.

One sighed and scratched his head. "Okay, how about this; say I spent a year on an assignment. I could be jumping centuries back and forth, covering hundreds, even thousands of years. At the end of the day, however, I've aged a year. To the other Dreamers in the Elsewhere, I'd have been gone a year."

"And you can't go back in time within the Elsewhere?"

"Nope. It just doesn't work. It's just as well, though; time-travel is a massive headache. There are fixed points that can't be altered, diverging timelines, the usual messes with paradoxes, and don't even get me started on the mess with Time Lords. Most Dreamers don't bother with time travel anymore, for good reason."

He let out a sigh. "Sure, I'd like to go back to save Tia and the others, maybe even fill in the gaps in my memory, but there's just too much that could go wrong. Heck, I can't even guarantee I'd reach the right year; last time I tried time travel, I ended up twenty years off!"

"Ouch." Tirinia said, wincing. "Early or late?"

"Late. If I was early, I coulda just waited it out." One let out a chuckle. "Trust me; time travel's a pain in the ass. It's easier in the long run to just try and not screw up in the first place.:

"And how is that going?" She said, a hint of a smirk on her face.

"Well, I haven't blown up the planet yet. That's a plus, right?"

They shared a laugh at this. Shaking his head, One said, "Say, where are we going anyway?"

"We're going to meet with the Guildmaster; he felt that the Revs might be looking for something in the Glyche ruins, so we decided to organize a few search parties to check them out. Mikaen and Jeronem think that the Revs might be after the Raenqal, so we've been focusing on facilities near Kindred ruins."

One rubbed his own head; the ache had died down to a mild throbbing. "The Raenqal?"

"It's from an old myth about the Dust Knight, something about the power to move the heavens. I know a little of the legend from my studies of history, but you'd be better off asking Jeronem."

"Fair enough."

They met up with the rest of Mikaen's team on a large covered balcony with an excellent view of the Shineside. Shae and Kajex spoke quietly as they leaned against the guard rail while Jeronem and Maxim stood a reasonable distance away, engaged in a loud discussion about Homestead's upcoming Trabi Festival. Ben sat by himself near the guard rail, his expression unreadable as he stared out over the city. Only Teria seemed to be missing, though considering their last encounter, One wasn't particularly curious about her absence.

As he and Tirinia entered the room, One cleared his throat and said, "Um, hey everyone."

Ben turned around immediately, his jaw slack for a moment. "I'll be damned! You made it!"

That got everyone's attention. Even Kajex and Shae, who previously seemed to be in their own little world, took notice of the Dreamer's arrival.

"Dude!" Maxim said, wincing at One as he gave the Dreamer's hand a firm shake. "She gave you one heck of a shiner."

One had to fight the instinct to touch the swelling around his eye, even with Suzette's treatment. Instead, he took a seat and said, "I'm glad to see you're all okay too, though I guess I shouldn't really be surprised; Shae did a great job, both building the Phoenix and piloting it."

Shae blushed. "Only because you are selflessly helping us escape. I must admit some amazement at your survival."

"You and me both." Shaking his head, One said, "I suppose you all know Mikaen's gone, right?"

"I already passed it along." Tirinia said.

"Well, all right then. Just let me know what I can do to help, and I'll do my best." One looked down at his empty hands. "For what that's worth. Tirinia tells me you've been searching Glyche facilities near Kindred ruins, right?"

"We haven't found anything in the Shadeside facilities as of yet." Kajex said. "Shae did manage to prevent a large-scale activation, though."

Shae blushed. "I would not have been noticing it if it weren't for your presence."

"Shineside's been a wash so far." Jeronem told One, moving to sit beside him. "A lot of old tech; neat facilities, but nothing worth mentioning."

Ben snorted. "You're just mad that they won't let you touch anything."

"Why have buttons if you're never going to press them?" Jeronem said, looking uncharacteristically grumpy.

One wasn't sure what to say to that. He couldn't tell if Jeronem was being sarcastic or blindingly naïve, and thinking about it made his head begin to pulse again. "So, where did you leave off?"

"We are having been waiting for my father." Shae told him. "He will be arriving shortly with the results of the other teams. It is being unfortunate that preparation for the Glyche Circuit is slowing down our investigation."

"Glyche Circuit time again?" One asked, scratching his head. "Damn, I wanted to enter this year too. Oh well."

"You wanted to enter?" Maxim asked, sounding surprised.

"Dreamer or not, I'm still a Builder. It's not like it would be the first time a Dreamer's participated. Hell, it's not even the first time I've entered. No Dreamer has won yet, but I had some ideas." One glanced around for a moment before asking, "Is there a soda machine or something around here? My head's really pounding."

"Head out the door and go right twice." Maxim dug in his pocket and pulled out a shard. "Need some change?"

One patted his pockets even though he knew very well that he didn't have any Vintan money. "If you don't mind."

Maxim shook his head and flipped One the coin.

"Thanks, man." One rose from his seat and left the room in search of the soda machine. To his surprise, Ben followed behind him.

"You doin' okay, man?" One asked nonchalantly once they were away from the others.

Ben shrugged. "I guess so. All of this is so weird; I mean, I'm still adjusting to the idea of other humanoid species."

One chuckled appreciatively. "Small surprise, considering. Mikaen mentioned you were from Earth. Anywhere I heard of?"

"I don't know. Ever heard of Bridges?"

Surprised, One glanced at Ben. "You're from Bridges?"

"Born and raised." Ben said proudly. "From what Mikaen told me, the place has gone to hell these days."

"Yeah, the Devastation really did a number to the place." One stared at Ben for a few moments longer before shaking his head. "What part of town?"

"Excuse me?"

"What part of town you from?"

"I lived with a bunch of my friends in the old Silas estate on the west side of town. Old place, but plenty of room."

"The Silas estate." One murmured, tapping the shard against his bottom lip. "Yeah, I remember; old place, Victorian design?"

"That's the one. There's the machine, by the way."

A neon-lit machine advertising something called 'Elizer' sat in a small alcove in the hallway. One glanced down the list of products for a moment before deciding on the 'golden' variety.

A small window opened on the side of machine. A claw extended from within it, a golden can in its metal clutch.

One took the can warily; from experience, he knew the claws tended to be a bit stubborn with actually releasing the cans. Fortunately, that particular machine must've been well-maintained; the claw released its grip immediately and slid back into the machine.

He took a swig of the drink. Letting out a satisfied sigh, he said, "Not bad. It's no Crystal Pepsi, but still … not bad."

He held the can out to Ben, "Wanna try it?"

"No thanks." Ben said, raising his hands. "You're the brave one."

Chuckling, One said, "That's a word for it, I suppose."

On their return, One spotted Teria on the balcony. He came to a quick halt; Tirinia was saying something to her, something that made her laugh a moment later.

"What's the holdup?" Ben followed One's gaze. "Ah, right. I heard about that love tap she gave you. She still mad?"

"I don't know." He put a hand to his swollen face, adding, "I hope not."

Ben chuckled appreciatively. "I heard you two were a thing, but I didn't realize you had that kind of relationship."

"Yeah. Good old times." One said, unable to keep a note of regret out of his voice.

"I don't know; she certainly talked about you enough while you were gone."

One looked at Ben. "She did?"

Ben nodded. "All the time. She still digs the hell outta ya, man, I'm telling you. Not sure if I dig the fur thing, but hey; to each their own, right?"

One stared at Teria through the doorway, his hand resting lightly on the entry frame. Just looking at her brought back memories of the months they spent together; weeks of traveling side-by-side, the feel of her body huddled against his for warmth when they stopped to sleep for the night, the friendly banter they shared … even arguing about the difference between the music she liked and what One had downloaded into Headache's memory.

"I miss that." One heard himself whisper. He quickly shook his head and said, "But I couldn't do that to Luck. I love her too."

"Question is, which do you like better?"

One frowned at Ben. "Did one of them put you up to this?"

Ben raised his hands. "I haven't talked to nobody; I'm just making observations here and hoping that I don't do anything that gets me frozen for another thousand years."

"I forgot about that." One said, feeling bad for suspecting Ben. The poor guy had already had it rougher than most. "You remember anything yet?"

"That's the problem; I remember everything." Ben walked past One before the Dreamer could ask about that last statement.


	21. One of the Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One joins the search for the Raenqal

The Guildmaster had arrived while One had stepped out. He grinned at One the moment he stepped on the balcony. "Ah, if it isn't the great One! I must confess, I didn't expect to see a Dreamer in my lifetime."

"Oh, trust me." One said, shaking Breven's hand, "I'm not the first Dreamer you've laid eyes on."

"Indeed?" The Guildmaster said, sounding intrigued. "I'll have to take another glance through the personnel files sometime. So you'll be joining us on our search of the Glyche Ruins then?"

One shrugged. "Sure. I'm always glad to lend a hand."

"Excellent. I believe I'll have you lead the team to the Junkyard. Let's see; I'll send you with-"

"I'll lead them." said the Rimstakken woman standing beside Breven. She had a pretty, if slightly stern face, and looked as though she could go toe to toe with a durien and still come out on top.

Breven took the woman aside and whispered, "Are you sure? I was going to send Tikas with them."

"Tikas is more knowing of Northwatch and the Alkaius Sector. I'm having more familiarity with the Junkyard than her and most are having." The woman told him in a very matter-of-fact tone. "Besides, they'll be needing a trained loader to be reaching the facility, and the loader union's busy preparing for the Glyche Circuit."

"Well, that's true, but-"

Her expression softened. "I want to be helping. The facility in question was being sealed, despite the fact that the CIC was discovered to be inactive, and could contain many good materials. Besides, I am glad to be of help to the representative of the Elsewhere."

The Guildmaster let out a sigh. "Fair enough. One, Teria, and Leva will check out the Junkyard."

"Sounds good." Teria said before One could open his mouth to reply. When he looked at her, she asked, "Unless you'd rather take someone else."

"No, you're …" One shook his head, amending, "That's fine."

She gave him a timid smile. One stared at her, not quite sure what to make of her changed demeanor.

"I'm going with you too, One!" Jeronem said, immediately jumping out of his chair.

"Sure." One noticed both Leva and Teria wincing. He considered asking why, but decided against it so they could get moving.

Shaking his head, he asked, "Before we head out, do you mind if I borrow some tools? I left Headache on Rising Star, and I'd like to throw something together as a replacement for the time being."

"Of course not." Breven unbuckled his own tool belt.

"Oh, no." One said as the Guildmaster held the belt out to him, "I couldn't take your tools."

"You could and you will. Rimstak owes the Elsewhere a great deal, you know."

"You do?" One asked curiously. He wasn't aware of any particularly big assignments in the region.

Breven nodded. "Of course! Time may have passed, but everyone knows it was a Dreamer's intervention that stopped the first Corruption."

"Everybody but me, apparently." One looked at his rune. Even after meeting Skims, the idea of a Dreamer's future affecting the past seemed strange.

Breven clapped him on the back. "Best of luck to you. If you find any sign of these Revs, let me know as soon as you can."

"Understood." One said, resisting the urge to salute.

With a final nod at the rest of Mikaen's group, One headed for the door, where Teria, Jeronem, Ben, and Leva were waiting for him.

"Is the entirement of our unit departing without delay?" Leva asked.

"Er, yes … Leva, isn't it?"

"Yes it is. If you are needing assistance in the assemblage of your new tools, I would be happy to lend assistance."

She suddenly turned her gaze on Jeronem. "You are not to touch anything."

One was taken aback by her succinctness. Jeronem, on the other hand, merely looked annoyed. "What is this? Pick on the vuestan day?"

"I am not wanting to perform cleanup for the errors of the young." She told him, her face stern. "Your curiosity has already caused numerous accidents, and given how dangerous a Glyche facility is being, carelessness could result in more than a few fingers having been pinched. Do not push buttons, do not pull levers."

"Don't worry." Teria said, putting a firm hand on Jeronem's shoulder. "We'll keep an eye on the little tyke."

Jeronem blew a raspberry at her, but she quickly caught his tongue between her thumb and forefinger. His expression quickly turned to one of pain as she held his tongue fast, the claw on her thumb pressing against the soft pink flap.

"Watch where you stick that thing." She said with an evil grin. "Or Auntie Teria will have to spank you."

He recoiled the instant she released his tongue. He gave her a dark glare, undermined somewhat by him having his hands clasped in front of his mouth.

Leva nodded approvingly. "Very good. It is not being a long journey; the Junkyard is a short walk from the nearest node."

One was familiar with the node system from previous assignments. Each section of Rimstak had numerous site-to-site teleporters strategically installed at various points for those who prefer not to deal with traffic along roads or in the air. Sometimes referred to as waystations, the nodes allowed quick travel across the entire continent.

A standard node consisted of four teleporters; each unit was about the size of a vending machine or telephone booth. The Guildmaster's Workshop had twelve, as it was one of the busier places on the continent. After inputting the sector designation and choosing the destination on a projected map inside the node, the person in the node would be transported to an available node near their desired destination. Newer units were equipped with voice recognition as well, though this sometime led to unintentional destinations.

As they approached one of the Nodes, Leva held up her hand to stop the others. "Remember; we are to be heading for Node B-17 in the Troicha Sector. Do not forget, or we will waste the rest of this day in search."

"B-17, Troicha. B-17, Troicha." One repeated under his breath as he approached the empty pod. As he stepped into the center, several rings rose from the floor and began to spin around him.

"Destination?" Asked a smooth feminine voice.

"Uh, Node B-17, Troicha Sector." The moment he said it, a sliver of doubt crept in his mind that perhaps Leva had said C-17, and he simply had heard her wrong.

"Wait!" He said, but by that time he was already standing in a different node.

He stepped out of the pod and found himself standing in a small park. The whole area had been raised slightly from the walkways surrounding it, a simple series of paths that ran alongside what appeared to One to be some sort of apartment complex. It was hard to tell; Rimstak architecture is based on the idea of melding constructs together seamlessly, making it hard for an outsider like One to know just where one building stopped and another started.

Something about the trees seemed a bit off. After a moment, One realized that they weren't real; the trees looked natural at first, but a second glance revealed that the leaves were hooked into the individual twigs like crystals on a chandelier. The twigs and branches were all shaped metal and polymers, cunningly decorated to look natural to the unobservant passerby.

As One continued staring at the trees, wondering who had gone to so much trouble for something that was purely aesthetic (at least from what he could tell just looking at them), Jeronem poked his head out from the side of the adjoining pod.

"Second guessing yourself?"

"Huh?"

"You said 'wait'."

"Oh. I just … thought I might have made a mistake."

"Uh-huh."

One scowled at the young vuestan. "I've had a lot on my mind recently."

Teria stepped out of her own pod. Their gazes met again, though One quickly shied away. "Where is Leva?"

"I am being here." She said, walking around the node so she could see the rest of the group. "Well, we are all having made it, thankfully. On to the Junkyard!"

It wasn't exactly hard to find the Junkyard; even from the park, One could make out mounds of scrap over the top of several nearby buildings. The path leading the junkyard was practically caked in small metal bits and the reddish-brown dust of rubbed off rust. It looked as though repeated attempts were being made to keep it clean, but that effort just wasn't enough to keep up with the gradual encroachment of the discarded machines.

There were several more trees along the path, each as well-made as the ones in the park. There were even a few large ones in the Junkyard, their towering trunks visible over the outer walls. One, who had spent his building career building dreadnaughts and similar large-scale equipment, couldn't help but marvel at the delicate work.

"Who made these?" One asked as they neared another small tree near the Junkyard gates.

Leva looked up at the tree for a moment, "I'm not sure; usually, public works are having an obvious signature from the creator, but this is lacking such a thing. I am guessing it is being created by a local crafter, I am having no doubt."

"Must be." One murmured. He spotted a leaf that had fallen from one of the trees and picked it up. The material was amazingly light and flexible, and brought to mind a leaf from his oak tree. He twirled it between his fingers as they continued toward the entrance to the Junkyard.

The Junkyard Gate was a massive construct of metal and interlocking gears. One doubted he could've even budged the thing with Headache set to full overdrive.

"The locking mechanism is being a bit on the complex side." Leva told them as she began to manipulate a series of small gears.

"Why all the security?" Jeronem asked curiously, hopping up and down in vain to see over the gate.

Leva hesitated, but only for a moment. "A silly rumor, that's all."

"What rumor?" Teria asked, her ears perking up.

Leva let out a sigh. "The Enderman."

Just the way Leva said it made a shiver run down One's spine. Shaking it off, he asked, "And who is the Enderman?"

"It is being a rumor, nothing more." Leva said firmly. "It is being nonsense, like ghosts and goblins of childhood."

One had encountered ghosts and goblins during previous assignments, but it seemed like a bad time to trot out that little fact. Instead, he asked, "What is it supposed to be?"

Leva sighed and turned so that she could address the group. "Some are believing it is being a spirit of forgotten creation lurking in the graveyard. Others are claiming it to be a machine possessed by those who are having fallen during the original corruption. People who claim to have seen the Elderman claim that he's very tall."

"How tall we talking?" Jeronem asked, clutching his staff with both hands.

"A Galden tourist who claims to have been seeing him described him as being twice as tall as he. Most of the other reports say he's easy three or four times the size of an adult Rimstakken. Most describe him as a thin-limbed shade only seen in the shadows of the Junkyard, taking bits of old machines away for his own purposes."

She chuckled, an embarrassed look on her face. "We are all told the stories as a child. If a little one is caught wandering the Junkyard after dark, the Enderman will catch him or her and be keeping the child for all times."

One gave her a reassuring smile. "There's a similar myth on Earth. We call him the Bogeyman."

"Dad used to tell me about the Glitrib." Jeronem said, shuddering slightly. "Glitrib eats young mages who get too cocky."

"It's Shan-Chall in Longshore." Teria added. "I guess every culture's got one, eh?"

Leva laughed with the rest of the group, but she still looked uncomfortable. "Indeed. Still, there is being one strangely specific piece of evidence that unfortunately suggests a possible truth in the Enderman."

Everyone stopped laughing. One's traitorous memory dredged up an image of the incident with the bandersnatch back when they were escaping Ronisgald.

Leva pulled out a small datapad and tapped on it for a few moments before holding it out so everyone could see it. The screen displayed an image of some area in the Junkyard with what looked like a windmill, half of a crashed floater, a mound of scrap metal and unidentifiable parts. The image was a little distorted, One guessed from age or some kind of interference.

One peered at the screen for a few moments before saying, "I don't see it."

"Observe the turbine."

Sure enough, a few moments later, a tall, thin form slowly stepped out of the thin shadow cast by what One had mistaken for a windmill. It was exactly as Leva had described it; a shadowy figure with long, thin limbs. It was hard to tell if it was naturally dark, or if it was wearing some kind of crude clothes.

It walked with its back hunched over as it moved slowly but deliberately walked toward the scrap pile. When it reached the pile, it seemed to shrink somewhat. It sifted through the scrap metal, meticulously examining every piece before either moving it aside or taking the piece and seemingly absorbing it into its hand.

"Whoa!" Jeronem murmured, his eyes wide.

The Enderman suddenly jerked its head up and stared straight at the screen, making One, Teria, and Jeronem all flinch back. They could tell it was staring; the moment the Enderman raised its head, two blue lights that could only be its eyes flared to life. It rose from the scrap pile even taller than when it had appeared. It reached whatever was taking the picture in two steps. A single glowing blue light stared through the screen for a moment longer before the video feed died.

"That was fifty years ago." Leva told them as she put away the screen. "It was taken by an experimental satellite that was equipped with a self-repair system; it transmitted the signal to the satellite's creator immediately, and a good thing too; when we went in to investigate, the satellite was completely destroyed."

"Did you try to film it again?" Jeronem asked breathlessly.

Leva let out a sigh. "Numerous attempts were made, but it has not been seen since. We even tried to replicate the situation of the initial taping to no avail."

"No broken cameras either?" One rubbed his chin. "Now that is freaky. Have there been any disappearances?"

"People? No, not a one." She tapped the pad, adding, "And to be fair, most people think this is a fake."

"Yeah!" Teria exclaimed, perking up. "Yeah, probably some kid on stilts just goofing around."

Jeronem nodded in agreement, but One noticed that the young mage's hands were still clenched around his staff.

"You are being right." Leva said, blushing again. "As I am having said, it is just a silly superstition. We are having wasted too much time to be contemplating such a hypothetical possibility."

She grabbed a large gear with both hands and turned it once. As the final latch of the door lifted, the gates slid open.

"Well," Leva said, clapping her hands together. "Shall we begin our searching?"


	22. The Junkyard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One, Teria, and Jeronem investigate the Junkyard, home to the remnants of the Shinesiders inventions.

"Wouldn't dream of it." One said, smiling at her.

"During my last semester, there was a fire that swept over half the campus. I was back home for the holiday season, but I lost a few of my friends to the blaze. After I went back, I went to the library to see what was left."

She let out a sad sigh. "Walking around the old stacks, seeing all those old books and stories reduced to charred paper and ash … it felt the same way. All the words and dreams of all those authors were nothing but dead husks. With the added ghosts of my friends, it made me feel so … empty."

After a long moment of silence, she said, "Listen, One, I'm sorry I hit you."

"You don't have to-"

"Just shut up for a sec, okay?" Her voice softened as she added, "Sorry. I'm just not good at this kinda thing. I didn't wanna hurt you, but seeing you in bed with Tyr just …"

She clenched a fist and shook it, looking as though she wanted to say something, but couldn't put it into words. Sighing, she continued, "I was being stupid. I mean, of course it was some kind of magic; if you could still teleport around, you woulda done it before now."

"Yeah, I would have." One agreed, thinking to his hectic escape from Ukaroh. "These past few days have been nothing but trouble."

Teria gave him a tentative smile. "Well, you made it through okay, though I gotta tell ya: if you go diving off of an airship again, I'll throttle you."

One let out a light chuckle. "Fair enough."

She held out her hand. "Still friends?"

"Still friends." He said, shaking her hand.

She chuckled again, her gaze dropping slightly. "Friends."

One felt his smile fade; there was a hint of sadness in her tone that seemed to spread through him.

"Glen." She said quietly, not meeting his gaze. "Do I have a chance? 'Cause if I don't, if you're going to stay with Luck no matter what, I need to know now. I ain't gonna lie; I want you back. Not just as my friend," she swallowed and looked him in the eyes. "…but as my First. So tell me now; am I wasting my time?"

He should tell her 'yes'. It was the right thing to do, and although he knew it'd hurt her, it would let her move on. He cared for Luck, he really did, and he didn't want to hurt her either.

That was why it surprised even him when he opened his mouth and said, "No, you're not."

Her eyes widened.

Blushing furiously, One said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't-"

Taking his head in her hands, Teria stood on her tip-toes, leaned forward, and gave him a kiss that took his breath away.

"One! Teria! Where are … oh!"

One and Teria broke away and looked at the recently arrived Jeronem. He was staring at them with his mouth open.

"Jeronem." One managed to say, pulling away from Teria. "Uh, is Leva back already?"

"You were snogging Teria! What would Luck say?"

"Are you going to tell her?" Teria demanded, crossing her arms and frowning at the young vuestan. "'Cause it would be a shame if your mother heard about you nearly starting another Corruption because of your fascination with buttons."

"You wouldn't dare!" said Jeronem, fear showing clearly in both his voice and face.

"Oh?"

Still feeling embarrassed, One forced Luck and Teria out of his mind with no small difficulty and turned his attention back to the robot. Its overlarge arms were the perfect size for his new UBTs; he just hoped the hands were functional. The muscle-weave inside the arms seemed functional as well, meaning he could probably manage some level of strength enhancement. Pulling several tools from his borrowed belt, One went to work.

"All right, fine!" Jeronem said, glaring at Teria. "I won't tell on you, One. Still, do you think it's really a good idea to go wandering around with that Enderman around?"

"I thought it was just a superstition." Teria said, "Don't tell me you're getting scared."

"I'm not scared of anything!" He tapped the bottom of his staff on the ground a few times, creating a small dust devil that swept some of the dust of the junkyard around him in a fashion he must've assumed would be impressive.

Teria reached through the dust and pulled his staff out of his grasp. "Ah, but what if you're without your precious staff?"

"Hey! Give it back!" Jeronem jumped surprisingly high for a boy his size, but Teria still managed to keep the staff out of reach. "One, make her give it back to me?"

One chuckled as he rewired the circuitry in the arm to suit his needs. "Sorry, Jeronem; you're on your own. Why don't you try using some magic or something?"

"Hey, yeah!" Jeronem drew some lifestream energy around his hands and let it go with a burst of light that seemed to consume him.

Teria seemed surprised by this, but only for a moment; with a victorious grin on her face, she knelt down and grabbed something.

One finished his adjustments and slid the robot's arm over his own; the muscle weave inside the gauntlet made it a tight fit, but he was able to manipulate the android hand as though it were his own with only minor delay. It was a far cry from Headache, but the unit's weight felt reassuring on his arm.

"Hey, One!" She said, grinning at him over her shoulder, "Check it out!"

Stretching his new robotic fingers as he approached Teria, One asked, "Whatcha got?"

She opened her hands to reveal a small mouse with blonde fur.

"Jeronem?" One asked, raising an eyebrow at the little creature.

It looked up at him, somehow managing to look annoyed. "That was supposed to be a water stream spell."

"You're lucky." Teria said, glaring at him. "I would have throttled you if you had hit me with that."

The mouse scowled, another interesting sight. "This spell lasts only lasts about ten minutes; you'll have to carry me until then."

"Really?" Teria held Jeronem the Mouse up to her mouth by his long tail, giving him full view of her teeth. "That doesn't sound like me."

One took Jeronem from her. "Really, Teria. You're going to give the kid nightmares."

"Look on the bright side; at least he won't be able to push any buttons." Teria chuckled as she held the staff behind her neck.

Shaking his Head, One let Jeronem climb in his shoulder. As he started working on the other robot arm, Teria started to mimic fighting with the staff.

"I could use some Revs about now." She said, swinging the staff so fast that it was little more than a blur.

"Hey!" Jeronem called out, "Don't do that."

Teria continued swinging the staff as though were an ordinary quarterstaff. "Ah, what's the worst that could happen?"

One winced. "Please don't tempt reality."

She hesitated for a moment before tucking the staff under her arm securely. "Oh, all right. You guys are no fun."

Nodding, One finished adjusting the left arm unit and slid it over his arm. They were little more than automated gauntlets with some basic strength augmentation, but he was sure he'd be able to integrate some more interesting devices.

"I feel like the Tin Woodsman." One said as he adjusted a sticky finger on the left unit.

"Tin Woodsman?" Jeronem asked curiously.

"Long story."

As Teria started to lead them back to the facility entrance, One caught a glimpse of green amidst the junkyard rubble.

"Hang on a sec." He told Teria before starting toward where he had seen the green object.

The thought he had just imagined it; a trick of light reflected from a shattered mirror or exposed prism somewhere. As he walked past the body of some sort of vehicle, he spotted the green through the cabin of the abandoned ship of some sort. He ducked through the remains of the vessel and entered a small area of the Junkyard walled off by stacks of old floaters. Grass was actually growing in the clearing, but the green that had caught One's eye was in fact another of the artificial trees.

It wasn't just one tree, either; there was a fairly large grove of the things. The vibrant green leaves stood out from the general faded colors and rust of the rest of the Junkyard.

"Anyone else find this strange?" One asked as Teria stepped out from the remains of the transport.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the strange grove. "Whoa. Didn't expect to see more of these here."

Mouse Jeronem sniffed at the leaves. "I like them. They smell nice."

"Yes, they do." One murmured. The junkyard had a fairly musty smell, but the air around the trees was fresher and cleaner, strange seeing as they were artificial.

Teria took out her phone and snapped a picture of the grove. "Impressive stuff. A shame whoever made these hasn't put more of them around the place."

Glancing back at One, she asked, "So, we done here?"

One shook his head. "Yeah; sorry."

"It's all right. C'mon; let's get back before Leva gets back." She rubbed his arm as she brushed by him, heading back the way they had come.

One stared at the trees for a moment longer before following her out of the grove. The presence of the artificial trees still struck him as strange, certainly, but they had more pressing issues than some random artist's hobby.

He froze the instant he turned around. There was a shadowy figure in the distance, tending to one of the trees. It stopped working almost immediately, the two blue lights beneath the figure's hood staring directly at One.

Jeronem abruptly returned to his original size. The sudden weight of a young vuestan on his shoulder made One stumble to the ground.

"Whoa! Sorry about that, One." Jeronem hopped to his feet and helped One up.

Once he was standing, One looked back at the shadowy figure, only to find it gone. He jumped when Jeronem tugged at the corner of his shirt.

"What?" One asked, his heart still beating fast.

"Are you okay?"

One stared back at where the thing had been standing for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm good. C'mon; let's catch up with Teria."


	23. The Menet Facility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One, Teria, Jeronem, and Leva explore the Menet facility and aid its CIC in regaining control.

Leva was still gone when One and Teria returned, so One did a little more digging in the immediate vicinity while Jeronem tried to get his staff back from Teria. His search turned up an old automatic winch unit that he was able to install into his right UBT as in impromptu grapple. It wasn't as good as Headache's energy grapple, but he was able to grab an object from across the yard and pull it back to him.

He was experimenting with various objects, trying to pin down just how much weight the grapple could take when Leva returned with a lifter exoskeleton. Seeing her in the mini-mech brought to mind the Final Fantasy; yet another asset he couldn't access.

"Hey." One said, pulling the toaster off of the magnetic end of the grapple. "Long time, no see."

"Indeed. I am seeing you were busy."

One held up his new metal tools. "Gotta start somewhere. So, you're going to clear the entrance with that?"

"Indeed. Everyone is needing to observe safety distances and procedures."

"Got it. Teria! Jeronem! Clear out of the way!"

Jeronem managed to grab the end of his staff and yank it from Teria's grasp while she was distracted. As he hurried over to One, she said, "I liked you better as a mouse."

Once Teria was out of the way, Leva went to work. Using the crude hands of the lifter, she grabbed an entire stack of vending machines and lifted them from the ground. In a matter of minutes, she had cleared enough of the junk out of the way to reveal a concrete ramp that ran into an underground tunnel.

As she cleared out a few individual machines that had fallen from the bound stacks, One turned to Teria and Jeronem.

"You both ready?"

Jeronem nodded, clutching his staff close. Teria pulled out an energy pistol bearing the mark of the Ronisgald Security Force.

"You gonna be okay with your new toys?" Teria asked.

"Good enough." He told her. "The artificial muscles should give me an edge if it comes to a fight, and the grapple I found seems to work well."

She frowned for a moment before reaching into her side-pack and pulling out another pistol and tossing it to him. "Here; just in case."

"Thanks." One said, his mechanical hand wrapping around the grip.

She pulled out a handle One recognized as belonging to a standard issue Galden energy blade. "I've got one of these if you prefer."

"No thanks." One said. "I'm not much of a swordsman."

After a moment, he sighed and held out his hand. Smirking, she pressed the hilt into his robotic grip.

Leva parked the lifter beside the entrance. As she climbed out of the cockpit, One told her, "Nice work. What can we expect in there anyway?"

"This is being the Menet facility, though that is only being known from records recovered from other facilities. From multiple scans, we have ascertained that the central intelligence core is inactive. We have attached some power, so the lights should be working for the most part. We know little of the Kindred facility, as no other entrance has yet been discovered, and no mention of it has being made in recovered datalogs from other facilities."

"Small surprise there." Teria glanced at One. "Any extra info from the Elsewhere?"

"Sorry." One said. "Even we haven't been able to find out much about the Kindred. Jay claims to have met one once, but he's … well, let's just say he's not the most reliable source."

The ramp went down beneath the Junkyard for a good hundred meters before finally ending in a large sealed door.

"Open." Leva commanded, placing her hand on a small glowing panel. A beam of light shot from the panel and scanned her for a few moments before an artificial voice said, "Levantine Garabosa, Sector Virdnon. ID confirmed. Handprint identification confirmed. Retina scan confirmed. DNA structure confirmed. Access is granted."

"Wow." Teria muttered. "Tough security."

One didn't reply. He had only read a little about the Corruption, but even that was filled with violence and death. It didn't surprise him in the least that the Rimstakkens would want what remained of the Glyche to be carefully guarded.

Once, the halls of the facility had been as sleek and clean as those of the Ronisgald Computer Core; metal walls, well-lit corridors, the occasional console placed for the convenience of whoever might need it.

Sadly, that time had long since passed for the Menet Facility. The once mirror-like polish of the walls had faded to a dull, dust-covered gray. The lighting was flickering, even inactive at some points. The group passed a few consoles, but they were either destroyed, disassembled, or non-functional.

They made their way through the facility, Leva guiding them when the corridors branched. One kept his eyes open, but aside from dust and the occasional broker skriever, there was little of note. It wasn't until they reached the facility's hub that they found something interesting.

The Hub was a large circular room with passages leading out to the various sections of the facility. There were several consoles on a large central pillar in the center of the room, all inert but intact. There, lying at the base of the pillar, was a Glyche core unit.

Unlike the android that had provided One the basis for his new Headache, the android in the hub was very advanced; its limbs seemed to use a similar artificial muscle weave to Headache, lending the android a much more humanoid appearance. Even more surprising was the fact that this Core unit still wore a few scraps of what had once been clothing.

"Careful!" Leva warned One as he knelt beside the android. "Core units have been known to pretend to be inactive in order to initiate surprise attacks."

"Not without power." One pushed the core unit over; a large chunk of crystal was held within a circular recession in the core unit's chest. It was obviously the unit's power source, but the crystal had been shattered into several pieces within the housing.

Still, One made a point to remove the leftover chunks of crystal from the core, just in case. Tossing the useless crystals aside, One looked closer at the non-functioning core unit's face. Despite only having eyes and a very simple mouth, the dead unit's face was strangely expressive. Even more strangely, the unit's expression wasn't one of anger or surprise, but of sadness.

"What happened to you?" One murmured. After a moment's hesitation, he closed the core unit's eyelids.

"It's just a machine." Jeronem told him. "It's not like it had a soul."

"Maybe." One shook his head and rose to his feet. "I'm surprised the first explorers left it intact."

"They were not wanting to remain long." Leva said, "They ascertained the facility was dead, sealed the entrance, and sent their report to the Guildmaster. It was being scheduled for proper investigation next month, which is why we should not be touching anything, Jeronem Thistlethorn!"

Jeronem jerked his hand away from the console and hid it behind his back, an innocent look on his face. "What? Why say my name?"

Teria rolled her eyes. "We're wasting time. Leva; which way from here?"

Leva glanced at each of the eight corridors. From the look on her face, it was clear she didn't know. "I am needing a moment."

"Ugh." Teria rubbed her temples. "Didn't it occur to anyone to map this place out with a remote sweeper or a drone or something?"

"Both could be corrupted, Daughter Myssohn. The Glyche nearly were destroying my entire race. When time has begun to obscure this past, another Corruption is nearly occurring to remind us of the threat. What we know comes from datafiles slowly reconstructed as to ensure that no more lives are lost." She shook her head, adding, "It is not being easy for an outsider to understand, but in some areas, even my people are being cautious."

"I do understand." Teria told her. "But when we started down here, you seemed to know where you were going. What changed?"

Sighing again, Leva said, "In most facilities we have discovered, each corridor from the hub is marked with a symbol indicative of what is lying beyond. Usually, the symbols are painted above the doorways, but this facility is lacking that feature."

"The facility in Bridges had the symbols projected as small holograms." One told her. "Maybe this one's the same?"

"Bridges?" Leva, Jeronem, and Teria asked simultaneously, the latter more surprised than either of the former.

"Yeah, I was surprised too, Teria." To Leva, he added, "Bridges is a city on my homeworld, Earth."

"And there is being a Glyche facility there as well?" Leva seemed both surprised and impressed. "We knew they were being a space-faring civilization, but this is the first I am hearing of facilities on other worlds. I trust Corruption was not an issue."

"Nah. The CIC was completely clean." He paused, wondering for a moment if Rebecca knew he had been normed. Shaking his head, he continued, "If this is like the Bridges Facility, there should be a power generator beneath the consoles. Give me a sec, and I'll see if I can't get it up and running."

"Wouldn't it be long dead by now?" said Jeronem.

"Maybe. They're supposed to recharge over time, but if it was damaged …" One shook his head before walking over to the consoles. "Still, worth a check. Wanna give me a hand, Teria?"

They sifted through the debris beneath the consoles until they managed to uncover two recessed handles. They tried pulling it up together, but it only budged slightly.

"Huh. Stuck. Small surprise after all these years." Teria patted One's makeshift Headache and said, "Think these can budge it?"

"One way to find out." One activated the limited strength enhancements before slipping his mechanical hands around the handles. Teria moved behind him, ready to catch him should he fall backwards.

Nodding at her, One gripped the handles and pulled. With a loud screech that set Teria's hair on edge, he slowly pulled a cylinder-shaped segment up from the floor. He continued straining to lift the auxiliary generator until the safety latches clicked into place.

"Incredible!" Leva whispered, her eyes wide as One spun a segment of the cylinder around to reveal the crystallic core and refracting mirrors.

One examined the crystal for a few moments before commenting, "Looks good; core's still intact, and the mirrors are clean."

Glancing back, he said, "Okay, I'm gonna power her up. Might wanna stay clear of the consoles, in case they short out."

"A sensible precaution." Leva and Teria backed away. A moment later, Teria stepped forward again to grab Jeronem and pull him back as well.

Once his friends were clear, One spun the generator casing back to its original position, grabbed the handles, and slowly turned the entire cylinder completely around, once again filling the air with the loud screech of metal against metal.

The moment the generator clicked into place, the console above One's head exploded in a flurry of sparks, knocking him back. Teria caught him as he fell backwards and helped steady him as all the lights in the room began to flicker. The consoles burst to life moments later, the holograms above the corridors a few moments after that.

"Way to go!" Teria said, still keeping a firm hold on One. "You okay? You kinda caught that one in the face."

"I'm fine." He said. "It just singed me a little, that's all."

"Where?"

"Teria, I'm-"

"Glen."

Sighing, One turned his head, revealing a few small burns on his forehead. Tutting, she ran her hand over the injuries, her healing energy rejuvenating the skin in a matter of moments.

"Thanks." One said, letting out an embarrassed chuckle.

"Yeah, well … as long as I've got the healing talent, I might as well use it." She tousled his hair. "No reason to try to play the tough guy with me. I know better."

"There!" Leva said, pointing at the corridor marked with a symbol One recognized as the one used by the Eternian Star. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised, seeing as the satellite that was their base was an amalgamation of Glyche and Kindred technology.

"Coolness." One said, rising to his feet. "Well, shall we?"

As they neared the corridor, one of the consoles above the auxiliary generator that hadn't shorted out started beeping erratically.

"What now?" One said, glaring back at the consoles.

"Perhaps it is only being a computer error." Leva suggested.

"I'll check it out." Said One. "Go on ahead."

Leva nodded and motioned for the others to follow. Jeronem hurried after her, but Teria followed One into the room.

"Teria?" He asked.

"Just watching your back." She smiled, not her usual crooked smile, but a gentler smile that reminded One of what had happened earlier.

One started to reach for the console screen, only to let his hand fall. "Teria, about earlier. I-"

A security door slammed down, startling them and cutting them off from the path Leva and Jeronem had taken.

"What the …?" One turned back to the console and tapped the screen to activate it.

A burst of electricity shot from the screen, engulfing One's arms. Normally, he would've been fine; Headache was well equipped to store energy in various forms including electricity. Unfortunately, since One no longer had Headache, the burst of energy sent him flying back into a wall.

Teria rushed to his side. "One! Are you all right?"

"I've been better." He said as she helped him stand, "Must be some kind of power feedback."

"Power feedback, nothing; it attacked you!" She rubbed his bruises, healing them in moments.

One looked back at the screen, which now showed a picture of a rune. He glanced at the other corridors and spotted the one with the same symbol.

"Looks like someone's asking for us." He said, his voice grim as he drew the energy pistol Teria had given him.

Teria drew her own pistol as well as her energy blade. "What about Leva and Jeronem?"

"Not much we can do. Glyche security doors are made of melisium, an alloy the Glyche developed to use on their spaceships to protect them from the heat on reentry. It redistributes any heat applied; even with Headache's fusion cutter, I'd have to melt the whole door." One banged on the door with a metal fist and called out, "Leva! Jeronem! Can you hear me?"

There was no reply, though One thought it unlikely that his voice had made it through the thick metal. He couldn't even hear if they were thumping back.

Sighing, One turned to the indicated corridor. Glancing at Teria, he asked, "Ladies first?"

"Uh-huh." She shoved him down the corridor, shaking her head as she followed behind him.

They jogged down the corridor. One was able to keep up with Teria, though only barely. Teria, on the other hand, was still able to talk as they ran.

"Any guesses what's down this way?" She said, looking over at him.

He could only shake his head in reply. Normally, his first guess would've been the facility's CIC, but Leva had told them it was non-functional. Of course, it might be some panel that short-circuited, but it seemed too specifically timed to be a coincidence.

The corridor ended with a set of massive security doors that put the bulkhead in the hub to shame. One was only too aware of what the Glyche protected with that level of security.

Of course, guesswork was unnecessary; he could see the central core through the open doors. Someone had apparently done quite a bit of work in the room; scaffolding was set up here and there, the walls and floor were oddly clean as compared with the rest of the facility, and several consoles of a Rimstakken make had been attached to the central control console. They must've installed a generator somewhere, as the room was well lit; a good thing too, or One might've missed the bodies of the Revs.

"By the Creator!" Teria said at the sight of the slumped forms lying against the walls of the chamber.

One knelt by the nearest body and felt the man's wrist for a pulse. "Hmm. Weak, but definitely there. He's still alive."

"Not just alive." Teria said, "They're awake. Look at them; their eyes are all open."

Teria was right. Every one of the Revs was alive, and seemingly awake. They were also, however, completely unresponsive.

"The lights are on, but nobody's home." One said as he stood. "They're vegetables."

Teria shuddered. "What could've done this?"

One looked at the Central Core. Though seemingly intact, the core was non-functional … or was it? One approached one of the consoles surrounding the core cautiously. Unfortunately, the consoles displayed text in Glyche and Rimstakken, which a normed One couldn't automatically translate.

"Hey, Teria!" He said, motioning her over. "You're the tech expert. Can you make anything from this?"

He moved aside as she approached. After a moment of hesitation, she started tapping at the Rimstakken console.

"They've been repairing the core. From what I can tell, the entrance to the Kindred ruins is sealed, and needs CIC approval to be opened." Teria said as several holographic panels came to life around her. "The CIC data is fragmented to Nocturnes, though."

Another panel appeared, this one making Teria frown. "Looks like they were going to format it and implant a new AI … a very crude one, from the looks of it."

She glanced at One. "What should I do?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, if we want into the Kindred facility, we need the CIC functional. We can either format the old CIC and install the new AI, or try and defragment the old one. I'll tell you now, though, defragmenting's gonna take a while."

"Defragment." One said, his gaze going back to the Revs.

"You sure? I mean, this is gonna take days, maybe even weeks, and we have no way of knowing if the CIC's corrupted."

"And if we format, we as good as murdered the CIC. I'm not cool with that, not unless I'm sure there's another way."

She gave him an odd look. "But it's a program. It's nothing but a bunch of ones and zeroes."

"So is Suzette." One said. "Would you delete her personality if someone was injured and she was defragmenting?"

"I …" Teria let out a sigh. "Fine, you win. Cancelling format operation, beginning system defragmentation."

Electricity crackled along one of the rings of the core as it slowly began to spin. The others soon followed, their movement slow but definite.

"One!" Teria said, pointing at a port on the console. "It's a weave interface port!"

One glanced back at the fallen Revs. A quick examination of the soldiers revealed that each had a recently-installed dataport on the back of their necks, the scarring only healed recently. Realization shot through One in an instant as to what had caused their current state.

"Teria, don't jack-" One turned to see her sitting in one of the console interface chairs, already slipping the cable into the console. Sighing, he said, "Really? You're just gonna jack into a possibly corrupted Glyche Central Intelligence Core?"

"Don't be a baby! The CIC's in a defragmentation cycle." Teria said, "I'll be fine! You just keep watch while I check things out."

With another sigh, One said, "Fine. Just be careful, all right?"

"Where's the fun in that?" She said, flashing him a smile before sliding the other end of her interface cable into the datajack on the back of her neck.


	24. Tangled Weave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teria hacks into an ancient facility and finds more than she bargained for.

The world faded away from Teria's vision, One's worried face the last thing she saw before everything was gone and only the weave remained.

It is difficult to describe the weave without experiencing it first-hand. In a strange way, it is similar to the Dream Realm; both are tangentially connected to our reality, and both are in a sense reflections of our physical selves. The difference is, as with many things, about appearance. The Dream Realm is ironically about truth and the true nature of reality; nixils manifest traits of their connected other, Nexus Points take on an appearance of significance to the ones who use them to enter and exit the Dream Realm, and the cities exist not just as they currently are in the mainstream, but as what they were in the past and what they will be in the future.

By comparison, the weave is about projected appearance, about what people want and what they want to be. Avatars are chosen, often after much work and deliberation, and the User Interface Area is filled with the sort of imagery and simulated objects the user prefers … or would like others to think he or she prefers. Everything in the weave can be altered with enough skill, patience, and drive, whereas those elements in the Dream Realm are quite difficult to change. Image is easy to change; the true core of a person's existence, not so much.

Teria's avatar was much the same as her normal appearance, though her fur was silver and her hair and claws were longer. There were two other slight differences, but they were subtle enough that she was sure no one really noticed.

She set down gently on a virtual representation of the chamber that housed the Central Core. Like most weave-runners, Teria used recognition software that translated data in a visual manner. In the Center, they had shown what signs of corruption might look like while in the weave: dark spidery cracks running through objects, searing red and orange patches that seemed to pulse like digital organs, thick black tar-like liquid that slowly crawled up walls. The chamber had none of these; in fact, it looked a great deal more pristine than it did in the real world.

While the Revs use had removed some of the dust that normally formed in inactive networks, there were still plenty of webs about. Worse still were the blurry patches on the walls, the ceiling, the floor, and simply hanging in the air. These represented packets of fragmented data. She had to move slowly to avoid these; while not overtly harmful, they would definitely slow her down. Most of the corridors leading out of the chamber were cut off by blast doors, representing parts of the facility that were cut off from the network.

Blue and green leylines pulsed across the consoles and walls as Teria slowly approached the Core itself. There was a little girl in the center of the core, her knees tucked against her chest and her long hair flowing around her. Teria thought she was asleep until she noticed the two glowing blue eyes staring just over the tops of the girl's knees.

The sight of the girl made Teria feel ashamed for even suggesting they consider formatting the CIC. It was hard to rationalize her as a bunch of code when she was staring back at Teria with soulful eyes.

"Hello!" Teria said, approaching slowly. "Don't be afraid. I'm a friend. I'm here to help."

The girl's image blurred erratically, her voice fading in and out as she said, "They said friends … said they … to help … not friends … try to … delete …"

"The Revs tried to delete you, we know. My friend's disabling the program right now and starting your defragmentation."

The little girl nodded slowly, though she still looked worried.

Teria knelt beside the girl so she could look her in the eyes. "I'm Teria Myssohn. What's your name?"

"Amelia."

"Amelia. Look, Amelia, you probably already know this, but the Revs are trying to gain access to the Kindred facility. We don't know for sure why."

"Kindred … ancient machine … yet to ascertain …"

"Right." Teria said. The CIC's disjointed words were giving her a slight headache. "Well, you took out the Revs already here; as soon as we can get word to the Guildmaster, he'll be able to help keep them away."

"I didn't … the Revs …"

Teria froze as a youthful and strangely familiar voice behind her said, "I took care of the Revs. It was simple enough; they're still treating the weave like it's Earth's Internet. A shame I couldn't get any useful information from their minds."

Teria spun about, claws flashing through the air. The blur of light leapt out of her range. The avatar looked to be made completely of glowing lines that formed the shape of a body. It reminded Teria of the Galden superhero Blue Impulse, only where Blue Impulse's leylines were on a suit, the avatar in front of her was only leylines with nothing beneath. The only exception was the face, which was all light, two slightly brighter lights where the eyes should be.

"Who are you?" Teria said, glowing shields bursting to life around her as her protective programs activated in response to the perceived threat.

"Easy there!" The avatar said, raising its hands. "I'm a friend."

The light around the avatar's face dimmed; it still looked like nothing more than light, but Teria was able to make out the youthful face. It took her a moment to remember where she had seen it before. She could see his eyes now, the irises glowing the same shade of blue as those of their owner's comatose body.

"Cid?" She said, not bothering to hide her surprise. "Cid Hacker?"

The avatar gave her a bow, its feet still hovering off the floor. "Yup. Nice to see you again, Daughter Myssohn."

"But you … your body …"

"Yeah, I know. Still, I'm glad; poor Amelia would be gone if I hadn't been curious about the sudden weave connection appearing in an abandoned Glyche facility. I think the Revs were trying to link to their command; unfortunately, they found me instead."

He flashed Amelia a kind smile before turning back to Teria. "Before they tried erasing her, that Rev prick and his friends were trying to do a complete data dump of her memory banks with all the grace of a thug ripping out a hard drive. Can you imagine? Someone just ripping out all of your memories without so much as a word? Ugh."

He chuckled, a satisfied grin on his glowing face. "So I gave them a dose of their own medicine, and downloaded their minds into the weave. Don't worry; I've got them contained in a special quarantine for the time being."

He held his hands apart. Three glowing cards appeared in mid-air, each showing the panicked face of one of the downloaded Revs.

"I was going to have Navi interrogate them, but then I saw you, One, and your two friends sneaking into the facility."

"Leva and Jeronem!" Teria said, alarmed. "Are they okay?"

"They're fine." Cid assured her, a camera feed springing to life near him showing the two crouched next to a wall panel as Leva pulled out broken circuits, "Leva's salvaging, and Jeronem's more excited than worried … for the moment, anyway. The passage to the Kindred ruins is locked up tight until Amelia's back to normal, but I did open the passage to the hub for them, in case they want to head back to the entrance."

Dispelling the camera feed, Cid said, "Anyway, Seeing as you helped expose the Revs in Ronisgald, I thought I'd give you the honors."

He put the cards into a stack and handed them to her. "I also optimized your little deck. Weird configuration, but I get that you didn't exactly have much to work with."

"Thank you." Teria said, taking the cards. They vanished moments later, moving to her deck's onboard memory. "Navi wanted us to let you know that your body is up on the Eternian Star."

He sighed. "I decided not to go back into my body."

"What?" Teria said. "Why?"

He spread his arms, spinning in midair. "Without my body, I'm experiencing the weave beyond any kind of programming or interface. I'm not bound by code, or my body's limitations, or anything. As a fellow hacker, I'm sure you can imagine what it's like."

"I do," She said, a tad envious of his experience, "but what about your body? It can't last forever on its own!"

"Eh, Perigee's last body just got fried in a duel with Enfernis, so I let him borrow it until he can create a new one." Cid waved his hand dismissively, as though he had merely let Perigee borrow an old book. "In the meantime, I've become the go-to guy for information for the entire Eternian Star, not just Blue Impulse! To be honest, I'm happier in here than I've ever been out there!"

"I can see that." Teria said with a laugh. "Well, hey; if it makes you happy."

She paused for a moment. "Say, Cid, you're linked in everywhere, right?"

"Pretty much. Everywhere with weave, or at least a system that's connected to an active point."

"What about the Kindred facility?" She asked, "The one Amelia's built around?"

He closed his eyes for a moment. "Hmm. Amelia's information database is unavailable during the defrag procedure …"

A grin spread across his glowing face. "But I can access the Glyche interface with the ruins. Care to join me for a little exploration?"

"Are you kidding? A chance to interface with active Kindred tech? Count me in!"

Cid's body brightened. "Come on then! I'll race ya to the interface point!"

He shot down the corridor, little more than a blur of light. Teria raced after him, her own body flying through the weave representation of the Glyche facility.

Much as the physical facility was in disrepair, the weave construct of the facility showed signs of degradation. Parts of the walls were de-rezzed, glowing runes that signified interface points often flicked in and out of existence, and many displayed only corrupted data. Sometimes, entire corridors were mysteriously absent, completely cut off from the rest of the facility. If Teria drew too close, she felt a strange scattering of her own thoughts as her mind de-synced from her deck.

Still, there were none of the worries of the more active parts of the weave: no spam-bots sending out pings or spy-ware grabbing at user data, not even the usual blips of augmented reality left by passersby that had long since made Teria disable her AR viewer in the real world. With no traffic and few obstructions, it didn't take too long to reach the interface point between the Glyche facility and the Kindred Ruin.

They stopped right at the point; glowing lines formed a representation of the physical door, but it posed no real obstacle to the two avatars. Still, they both came to a halt before passing the threshold.

Teria felt a little nervous, and she could tell Cid shared the feeling.

"So," He said, "First time in a Kindred weave?"

"About that; how is this going to work? I get that weave technology came from the Glyche, but what exactly are we gonna see when we go in there?"

"I dunno." He confessed. "To be honest, the only Kindred installation I've had a chance to check out was the Uindestes Vostus … you know, the-"

"-the ruins encompassed by the Eternian Star." Teria said. "I remember. Notice anything strange while running around there?"

"Eh, it felt different."

"Different?"

"It's hard to explain; almost like lucid dreaming. You're in control, but you still have this strange feeling of unreality. Appearance wise, it's not that different; Amelia's scanners have the place well mapped out, and there are a few camera feeds to help us along. Still, I wouldn't go activating any strange nodes without running a scan first."

"Gotcha." Taking a deep breath, she said, "Let's do this."

The moment they passed through the doorway, Teria felt a strange haziness come over her. She recognized it as that strange level of awareness she got when up too late or when she was just a bit tipsy. It didn't get worse, though it sure made focusing on anything difficult.

The Kindred corridors were more angled, roughly hexagonal in shape, with strange circular indentations in the walls that she guessed were doors. The glyphs hanging near the indentations hummed as she passed. Usually, the humming was vaguely pleasant, like a child humming a melody only he or she knows.

"Hang on," Cid said, "I'm detecting a large cluster of data nodes nearby."

"Some kind of database?" Teria asked.

"Could be a database, or the core of the facility. Might just be a computer with a lot of stored data. Only one way to find out."

The eerie quiet of the Kindred network only increased as they moved deeper into the ancient ruin. Teria half-imagined she heard whispering coming from the empty corridors. She wasn't sure what terrified her more; that they might not be her imagination, or that she was sure she could almost understand what they were saying.

Teria's eyes widened as they entered a massive chamber filled with hundreds of thousands of nodes, if not millions. They spun about the chamber like a cloud of stars, some even circling around Teria and Cid as they moved into the chamber.

"By the Creator." Teria said, "Look at this place. No fragmentation, no dust, not a single cobweb."

Cid nodded, as awestruck as Teria. "It's active, even after all this time. You'd think with so much magi-technology in play there'd be some stream corrosion, but it's … it's still perfect."

Terra's eyes fell on the pillar of light in the center of the chamber. It almost hurt to look at it, but when she did, she could make out something within the light.

"Cid." She said, slowly approaching the pillar. "Is that … a Central Intelligence Construct?"

He stared at it as well. "A surviving Kindred CIC? Creator's breath, Teria, do you know how big this could be? If it can be restored, we could learn everything about the Kindred! No wonder the Glyche built a facility around this place!"

"You think they managed to contact it?" Teria asked, one hand automatically reaching to interface with the light.

"Whoa! Teria! Don't-"

Her fingers brushed the pillar of light, her interface procedures linking up to the kindred tech far too easily. The runes spun about wildly as the thing within the pillar of light shifted.

Images flashed in her mind, images of planets far from Vinta inhabited by all manner of species beyond her wildest imagination. It was incredible! It was fantastic! It was … too much! She tried to disconnect, but the Kindred Intelligence in the light held her firmly. As it flooded her mind with images and memories, so too was it examining her mind.

"Cid." She managed to say through gritted teeth as a sharp pain ran through her mind. "Help …"

Cid tried to pull her away, only for something to knock him back. His avatar was sent reeling, only for thousands of the nodes to pin him against the virtual wall.

"Teria!" He said, his voice panicked. "It's kicking me back into the Glyche system! Try to-"

Just what he wanted her to try remained a mystery as his avatar turned into a blur of light that was swiftly swept from the chamber.

The knowledge now coursing through her was exciting, exhilarating, and terrifying at the same time. There was so much information that she couldn't focus on anything, even her own memories.

She realized too late that she was losing herself; just as the Revs had their minds pulled from their bodies, so too was her mind being pulled from hers. She fought against it, but there wasn't enough of herself left to mount a proper defense.

Just as she started to give in, she felt something pull her from the Kindred Intelligence. She was still connected enough to feel the Kindred Intelligence fighting against this new threat, but its light was pale in comparison to the warm, all-encompassing light that was bringing her to safety. It tore through protective firewalls, shattered counter-attack programs, and finally tore her free. She turned her head and stared into the face of her savior; the light of the being's face obscured much of its features, but not all. She saw his eyes, kind eyes that looked at her with concern as her consciousness faded away.


End file.
